Tests for .. GPS on the Moon and the possibility of sending a European astronaut to the Moon discuss ESA -NASA

The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA will step up their cooperation to explore the Moon in the future and discussed the possibility of sending a European astronaut to the Earth’s satellite.

“We look forward to seeing an ESA astronaut with us on the surface of the Moon and continuing to strengthen our strategic partnership,” said Bill Nelson, the head of the US space agency, who was invited to the ESA meeting in the Netherlands.

The two services have signed a cooperation protocol for the Lunar Pathfinder mission, the first telecommunications satellite to orbit the Moon. ESA had already purchased the services of this satellite manufactured by the British SSTL. NASA will undertake to put it in orbit, in exchange for access to the services it will provide.

The two services also plan to jointly test the use of specific geolocation systems using satellites for the Moon, as is the case with Galileo and GPS systems on Earth.

ESA, which includes 22 countries, is participating in the US Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon around 2025 and build a mini-station, the Lunar Gateway, which will orbit the moon.

The two services also discussed the future of the Russian-European ExoMars mission, which was suspended by the ESA following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The goal of the mission was to launch, at the end of 2022, a rover that would look for traces of extraterrestrial life on the planet Mars.

“NASA is looking at the best possible ways to help our European friends in the ExoMars mission,” Nelson said.

“Intensive talks are taking place and I am optimistic that we will have a good partnership with NASA in the ExoMars mission,” said Josef Asbacher, ESA Director General, adding that decisions will be taken in the autumn at the European ministerial meeting.