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.
![](https://www.seradata.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/lunarlanderreusablelockmart.jpg)
Lockheed Martin Concept for reusable lunar lander operating between Lunar Gateway and the Moon’s surface. Courtesy: Lockheed Martin