The UK Space Agency and NASA have signed a new “Statement of Intent” to cooperate on lunar missions. The declaration was made on the same day of the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11 – the first human landing on the Moon. UK Science Minister Chris Skidmore who has responsibility for space hailed a new agreement between the UK Space Agency and NASA agreeing that it could one day lead to a UK Astronaut walking on the Moon. Having said that, he cautioned that “ESA (the European Space Agency) must always be our hub”. The UK Space via a SSTL-led consortium is already working on a lunar mission relay satellite to allow spacecraft to always transmit their signals to Earth.
Comment by David Todd: For us Brits who have dreamt of one day being able to walk on the Moon…this might be the first step.
Lockheed Martin Concept for reusable lunar lander operating between Lunar Gateway and the Moon’s surface. Courtesy: Lockheed Martin
