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Bernard Foing: 'Moon Village aims to be a platform for peace, in which countries that have conflicts on Earth can learn to work together'

Bernard Foing has attended SUTUS 2021 ( Space & Underwater Tourism Universal Summit ) organized by the international school Les Roches Marbella, to explain the latest advances of “Moon Village”, which seeks to create the first permanent human settlement on the Moon and the Euro program Moon Mars leading ESA to search for astronauts, researchers and private partners willing to join European missions to place human colonies on the Moon and Mars.

 

SR: In March 1988, science fiction legend Isaac Asimov wrote multiple articles exploring the future of humanity on the Moon. Now those plans seem closer than ever. For Asimov, in 2028 the Moon would have already become our second home. Today, we are a little closer. You’ve told us about Moon Village, the first permanent human settlement on the surface of the Moon, but we’ve been hearing about it for the past decade. How can I find the waybill? Is it now a closer reality?

BF: “Moon Village represents a series of initiatives that we started almost 20 years ago. There was an approach about a robotic people and then continue with humans to the next phase but, for example, in the robotic phase, there are several space agencies that have sent space probes around the moon, on the moon … so the robotic part of Moon Village is well advanced. On the other hand, at the crew level, which takes longer, in fact there is already the Artemis program with a collaboration with NASA and ESA that will get a service module to carry the Orion capsule around the Moon. We consider this a breakthrough. First it will be done autonomously to check that everything works well and then, in 2023, with astronauts. Then each year the intention is to send crews of astronauts. In parallel, there are other NASA projects to build a manned lunar lander from which SpaceX has obtained the contract, but there are also other companies involved in the process.

In parallel, the Russians and the Chinese announced their international space station and as the Moon is big like Africa there is enough space to have several bases but it is good to share the possibility of sharing communication, scientific collaboration. And that is precisely the concept of Moon Village: where there are several intergovernmental actors, but also commercial ones, academies, industries, people with money who want to invest … and we will also use the natural resources of the Moon, so there is the possibility of developing there commercial activities, services, businesses … We must not forget that Moon Village aims to be a platform for peace, international cooperation, for countries that sometimes have conflicts on Earth but can learn to work together there. As well as a pillar of inspiration for young people, the general public … “

 

SR: Moving forward in this project, once the robotic phase is past and giving way to the colony for humans … is there a more concrete idea of what the houses they would live in would be like? How would they get their energy?

BF: “We need a minimum infrastructure for a crew of 4 to 10 people. We have several concepts. We are going to start with very short expeditions of five days to explore. Then we will bring more important infrastructures so that they stay longer. Regarding the challenges of energy, temperature, how to protect yourself from moondust … it will be the next thing to face. Remember that on the Moon the day lasts two weeks and the night lasts two weeks, so technology is needed to efficiently recover energy or even use areas of the south pole of the Moon where the sun is almost always visible, so we could start with an outpost there and start planning multi-month missions on the satellite. Every year the infrastructure will grow and in 2030 we will already have the possibility of having a base where the astronauts can stay for a few months and thus be able to rotate them and achieve a stay of the human being on the Moon for the first time.

 

SR: Would the foundations of that future colony start so much with inflatable structures, 3D printing …? Would it all come together?

BF: We are going to start with the infrastructure of the rockets that will carry material and that also have a housing module. We will install other modules to increase the housing volume, we could use inflatable structures, but we will start with rigid systems that are very safe. In addition, we will have robots that can use lunar dust to create structures that protect us from radiation, but we can also use 3D printing technologies using precisely this dust. We have already done various tests in the laboratory heating the lunar dust in order to create a kind of cement to use there and expand the housing modules.

 

SR: How will they get all that equipment to the moon? Will they have SpaceX? Your Falcon Heavy could be a viable option to go to the Moon.

BF: SpaceX has a system that can carry cargo and also crew, so its capacity is immense, much more than we had anticipated. They can carry about 150 tons of material into space. Prefabricated systems could go perfectly on these rockets and help us with lunar dust to complete the construction of infrastructure on the Moon.

 

SR: We have visited the Moon six times between 1969 and 1972, and 12 men have stepped on its surface. The time that humans have spent on the Moon does not exceed two weeks. Is it feasible for humans to live on the Moon?

BF: Now we have quite a few technological advances, we have prepared all the aspects related to health, energy … we will have a limited presence for the moment, of course, and we must have provision for food, water and everything they need; we will start with short stays when security is also sufficient for astronauts.

 

SR: What basic ingredients are necessary to make permanent space settlements viable?

BF: Security, in order to survive, a good lunar landing system to take and return in case of emergency, an efficient module system and, to be more sustainable, have the possibility of using the natural resources of the Moon, such as water, how to recycle it so as not to lose it … in general use life support technologies and learn from each mission to optimize everything we can do in the future. A safe and autonomous control of operations so as not to have so much dependence on the Earth.

 

SR: What sociological obstacle does living on our satellite pose? Because on Earth we are used to universal socio-environmental conditions, but on the Moon it will be different. Will we need to create a new type of society? Do you think we will change as a species?

BF: At first it will be different because it will be only astronauts who are all good people (laugh). It will be weeks with a lot of work. Everything will be very international. They will need to be in good physical and mental shape and have a good quality of social interaction. But then, over time, we have to have a society where we can be universal, there will not only be professionals, but also from civil society, the military, the media to tell the stories of the Moon, and also tourists, who they will use their experience for the benefit of all.

 

 

SR: Leisure trips to the moon and projects to create hotels and residences in orbit seem to be increasingly on the table. What do you think of the initiative carried out a few days ago for the first flight into space without professional astronauts, the Inspiration4 mission?

BF “You say non-professionals, but I know Sian (Sian Proctor), for example, who has even done programs with us. I was well prepared, I was motivated, but what they have also done has been to use this opportunity to take action in solidarity, so it seems to me that they have done very well.

 

SR: A few days ago a study was published that raised a simple but important reason why Mars is not habitable and that it would also affect the Moon. It is too small to hold molecules that could be crucial for the formation of life. This would affect the dream of inhabiting the Moon that is even smaller than Mars …

BF: “This is true for the Moon because it cannot retain the atmosphere but it is not really true for Mars. It will take time but it is something that we have known for 20 years from people like Carl Sagan and others, that the atmosphere of Mars was lost due to the solar wind and the fact that there is less gravity, but it is possible, both on the Moon and on Mars, have an artificial atmosphere: place a dome and have an artificial biosphere. It’s possible.

 

SR: What qualities do you think the future man or woman who lives on the Moon should have?

BF: Well, several qualities are necessary. Above all they must be multidisciplinary, good people, have good discipline … but later it will be a more open society. It is like a ship but you cannot get out, so you have to have empathy for others so that everything works well.

 

SR: We have seen billionaires Richard Branson or Jeff Bezos travel into space in recent weeks. When do you think flying into space will be accessible to other people?

BF: This is similar to the first flights with airplanes. Now they are cheap. In a while, I think the price will be democratized and, for example, for scientists and students it will be a good experience. We can fly into space with an institution, university, company … and be able to use it as a research project. This is how I got my PhD. We worked on an experience on a rocket. With 5 minutes of data and with those I did my thesis. We could do the same in space.

 

SR: Regarding EuroMoonMars’ experience of spending two weeks on a simulated mission on Earth, can anyone volunteer?

BF: Yes, of course. We have a crew with scientists, of course, but journalists (who can write the story), people from the humanities, whoever they want can show up. From 18 years old.

 

SR: What does someone have to do to volunteer for this experience?

We have several opportunities. You can contact me or through the EuroMoonMars group, send us your curriculum vitae and then we see. There is a preparation phase and, once ready, a crew is scheduled for a simulated mission. This year we have had several crews with special attention to scientific research. And we have other opportunities coming up. It is something that can be interesting to study group dynamics where there is a great diversity of ages.

 

SR: What you would love to see happen in 20 years. What would you like to read?

BF Have a base with 10 people in 2030 and in 2040 be able to have 100 people on the Moon permanently and see the first baby ever born on the Moon.

 

SR: Would you like to go to the moon?

BF: It’s my plan. I plan to retire in 20 years and since I have studied the Moon I have the necessary instruments to go. But there is a possibility of acceleration of this movement. For example, the SpaceX rocket could carry 100 people on the same trip and give this goal a boost. We are at a stage where we can all play a role, contribute to the space program, and prepare on Earth with these analogous experiences on Earth.

 

SR: Is society more interested than before in space exploration?

BF: Well yes. There are many more things to communicate and ways to communicate. There are also interests elsewhere, but you always have to maintain a pillar of curiosity, and share all the things that are very interesting (laughs).

 

 

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