???? Is humankind’s future on the moon? | The Stream

It's been half a century since humans last walked on the moon. Should we now go back to stay?

It's a prospect that's moving closer to reality as NASA's Artemis I mission successfully blasted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral early Wednesday morning. The long-awaited rocket launch is the first milestone in a three-phase plan that aims to put the first woman and first person of colour on the moon by 2025.

Those in favour of going back to the moon say the lunar surface could be used for mining minerals and frozen water - creating entirely new industries and a potential boom for private aerospace companies.

Both the US and China are racing to build the first permanent lunar base that could also be used as a launching site for the exploration of Mars. While China and Russia are working together to build five moon bases in the coming years, at least 20 countries have sided with the US in developing ethical guidelines for the exploration and use of the moon.

All of these ambitious goals point towards humanity's eventual multiplanetary future - a scenario that raises both excitement and anxiety from some in the aerospace community.

In this episode of The Stream, we'll look at future plans for the moon.


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