PLENARY 7: The Moon – a continent and a gateway for our future

The panel will review discoveries and key results from recent lunar missions, and the plans for upcoming lunar exploration. They will discuss how this serves as a gateway for scientific studies, technical validation and development, the next generation of landers, buildup of facilities in a lunar robotic village, the use of lunar resources, and the Moon as a platform for biological studies and observation of the cosmos, and sustainable human activities. They will address also the social, education, peaceful inspirational and economical values of lunar exploration for humankind. Also technologies, life support systems and human operations can be validated on the Moon, as a gateway to Mars and other solar system destinations.

The panel will discuss possible visions, the main events in the next International Lunar Decade, and roadmaps towards settlements, sustainable international lunar bases and a Moon global village on our 8th continent.

Moderator

Bernard FOING

Chair, Center for Planetary Science and Exploration, Western University, ESTEC Staff Association Committee

France

Panelists

William GERSTENMAIER

Associate Director Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

United States of America

Olger GORSHKOV

Acting Director, Central Research Institute for Machine Building (JSC TSNIIMASH)

Russia

Robert (Bob) Richards

Founder & CEO, Moon Express, Inc

Jan WOERNER

Director General, European Space Agency (ESA)

France

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Peter BATENBURG

Explorers Representative