Welcome to the GEGSLA Monthly Newsletter!

We are delighted to introduce the 18th edition of the Global Expert Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities (GEGSLA) monthly newsletter. Your unwavering dedication and collaborative efforts remain the cornerstone of our achievements. In the following pages, you will discover compelling updates and meaningful endeavors that mirror our mutual dedication to lunar exploration and sustainability.

Our expedition is one marked by exploration and conscientious action. By advocating for sustainability, we are forging a path towards a future where lunar activities harmonize with the welfare of our planet and beyond.

Lockheed Martin release their Reference Vision called: "A Water-Based Lunar Architecture"

Just in time for ASCEND, Lockheed Martin have released their Reference Vision called "A Water-Based Lunar Architecture", which is "water-based, nuclear-enabled, commercially-invested." 

Adam Marcinkowski and his team who do cislunar cryo-refueling at Lockheed Martin provided more context as follows: "In the 2040s, we envision the lunar south pole as home to dozens of international scientist-astronauts and commercial contractors. Lunar infrastructure provides steady power and life support. A sustainable space transit system reaches to Mars and back, propelled and refueled by the Moon's natural resources. This vision is a snapshot of what is possible with a water-based, nuclear-enabled, commercially and internationally diverse exploration architecture. To capture this snapshot, our team of engineers, architects, and artists constructed a visually stunning and technically credible "novella white paper." Peter Garretson added further comments on the urgent need to advertise at senior politicians and decision makers level this technological and business reality that is merely 15-20 years away.

ESA Launches Accelerator to Kickstart the Lunar Economy

As reported by Douglas Gorman in Payload, ESA’s Business in Space Growth Network, in partnership with the Luxembourg-based European Space Resources Innovation Center (ESRIC), announced in early June 2024 that it was launching its first space resources accelerator. Then on 30 July 2024, ESA and ESRIC announced the launch of the inaugural Call for Ideas for this new Space Resources Accelerator.

The accelerator hopes to help businesses whose aim is to extract resources and to provide critical operational technologies to help support a sustainable human presence on the Moon. It’s asking for proposals that center around themes such as finding (remote sensing and data), excavation, extraction and refining, and the supply of sustainment infrastructure (power generation and storage, transfer systems, etc.). While ESA has dedicated up to €1M ($1.1M) to fund the first cohort of ideas, the accelerator plans to have private investors pitch in half the funding for each idea, based on contemplated commercial viability.

AstroForge raises $40 million to catch the Intuitive Machines cislunar cab on its way to an asteroid

AstroForge co-founders Matt Gialich (CEO) and Jose Acain (CTO) raised $40 Mn in Series A, bringing the asteroid mining venture total fundraise to $55 Mn. Asteroid mining is broadly relevant to the cis/lunar economy as a supply source of e. g. Platinum Group Metals to future manufacturing units either in Earth orbit or on the Moon or its vicinity. Furthermore, there is something critical about the company requiring cislunar transportation. AstroForge will indeed be racing to complete the spacecraft in the next few months to launch as a rideshare payload on the Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission to the Moon. The spacecraft must be delivered 35 days before launch, and Intuitive Machines is planning to launch IM-2 in December 2024, or early January 2025. IM-2 will carry the AstroForge spacecraft, until such distance where the spacecraft will be released from IM-2 to further trek toward its targeted asteroid. In the meantime, AstroForge has received above average press coverage, not only in Space.com, Space News, Payload, and Ars Technica, but most interestingly in Mining.com. In the previous 2 decades, Mining.com has paid attention to two well-known asteroid mining venture projects which never came to fruition and were liquidated. Therefore, it is to be hoped that in this cycle, AstroForge will secure the development steps and funding that will eventually enable the company to insert itself within a value chain of actual paying customers. It remains a question mark to see how early and how deep the terrestrial mining industry might get involved in such ventures relevant to space resources utilization, from asteroids to the Moon and Earth orbit. 

NASA secures contracts extension until 2029 to manage potential Artemis delays

On 21 August 2024, NASA rolled out the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter (LVSA) for the SLS that will be used on the Artemis 2 mission. The structure, built at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, was loaded onto a barge for transport to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where other components of the rocket are awaiting integration.The LVSA is a cone-shaped structure 8.4 meters tall that tapers from 8.4 meters across at its base to 5 meters at the top. The structure is used to connect the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) used as the upper stage on the Block 1 version of the SLS with the core stage. The LVSA will not be used on later versions of the SLS that replace the ICPS with the larger Exploration Upper Stage. The prime contractor for the LVSA under a contract awarded in 2014 is the company Teledyne Brown Engineering. That contract, valued at about $200 million, was scheduled to end in September 2024. However, NASA has extended the contract to cover at least the 2026–2027-time frame, and to remain operational as far as 2029 if all options are exercised. This is a concrete indication of NASA planning for more SLS and therefore Artemis 2 delays, to be factored in. More details in a Space News assessment by Jeff Foust.

Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander begins pre-launch environmental tests

On 26 August 2024, Firefly Aerospace announced that its Blue Ghost lander is now at JPL for vibration, acoustic, thermal vacuum and electromagnetic interference and compatibility tests, ahead of its launch to the Moon later this year. Firefly also completed nearly 100 lander leg drop tests on multiple surfaces, including sand, lunar simulant, and concrete, to ensure Blue Ghost’s shock-absorbing footpads can withstand the unpredictable nature of a landing on the lunar surface. The team further built a one-acre moonscape at its Rocket Ranch to test the hazard avoidance and terrain-relative navigation system on a heavy-lift drone, ensuring the system can identify the safest landing site in the final moments of descent. These tests are intended to confirm that the lander operates as expected in the space environment and can survive the rigors of launch and landing. “Firefly is proud to follow in the footsteps of the Surveyor landers that were tested in the same JPL facilities,” Peter Schumacher, interim chief executive of Firefly Aerospace, said in a statement, referring to the 1960s-era NASA robotic lunar landers. “The extensive environmental testing we’ll complete at JPL combined with the robust testing we’ve already completed in house will further reduce our risk posture and set us up for a successful soft landing.” See Jeff Foust's report in Space news.

Dimitra Atri: sustainability in lunar and planetary exploration

Dimitra Atri, PhD, is an investigator at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science at NYU Abu Dhabi and the Group Leader of the Mars Research Group at New York University Abu Dhabi’s Center for Astrophysics and Space Science. Dr. Dimitra Atri also serves as the Principal Investigator of the ASPIRE Award for Research Excellence grant, conducting research with the UAE’s Hope mission to Mars. In a piece for Space News titled "We must adopt sustainability in planetary exploration" the author notes that, "with the NASA-led Artemis program, private lunar exploration initiatives and the China-led upcoming International Lunar Research Station, our return to the moon and push towards Mars are set to define the 21st century. However, as we chart these new territories, the environments of the moon and Mars are at risk of irreversible alteration by human activity. We must adopt sustainability as a core principle in space exploration to safeguard their pristine environments and, by extension, our own future on Earth." Dr. Dimitra Atri's conclusion will resonate with our readers: "As we stand on the brink of a new era in space exploration, we have the opportunity to shape our future sustainably. By embedding sustainability into the core of our space policies, we can ensure that our exploration efforts beyond Earth do not repeat the mistakes made on our home planet. This commitment to sustainability will not only protect the environments of the moon and Mars but also foster innovations that can help create a more sustainable future on Earth. The time to act is now, for the benefit of all humanity, on Earth and beyond."

Ahead of US elections: a call for lunar and space exploration by respective sides of the partisan divide

In a piece for Space News, "Make Space Great Again", Robert S. Walker and Greg Autry advocate for Donald Trump's space accomplishments, for as much as they "garnered bipartisan support and international respect. They were even supported by the Biden White House in a rare case of policy continuity." This includes the Artemis Programme and the creation of the Space Force. Then in Payload, Managing Editor Jacqueline Feldscher reviews an initiative by former astronaut John Grunsfield to host a ‘Space Cadets 4 Harris’ fundraiser. Jacqueline Feldscher further provides an analysis of the space policy of a potentially future Harris Administration. The Democratic party platform, as approved at the convention in Chicago, mentions the following: “We’ll continue supporting NASA and America’s presence on the International Space Station, and working to send Americans back to the moon and to Mars.” Whomever wins the upcoming election, will hopefully manage to get the Artemis program back on track, while treating space as a bipartisan matter, as immune as possible to budgetay gridlocks and congressional haggling.

NASA payload to fly on first Blue Origin lunar lander mission under CLPS program

In an Aug. 6 procurement filing under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, NASA revealed it selected Blue Origin to fly a camera system to study how engine plumes interact with regolith at south polar regions of the moon, collecting data to support future crewed landing missions. The payload is called Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS), and a copy of it already flew to the Moon on the first Intuitive Machines lander mission in February 2024, collecting limited data. A second copy of SCALPSS will fly on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander, scheduled to launch late this year. However, NASA says it needs to fly SCALPSS on a lander with engines capable of producing at least 8,000 pounds-force (lbf) of thrust. More details with Jeff Foust reporting for Space News.

More good news from Japanese company ispace

Japanese company ispace signed a consulting agreement with construction engineering company Komatsu Ltd., to design equipment for the lunar surface. This is consistent ispace's activity as a private lunar robotic exploration company that is developing micro-robotic technology to provide a low-cost and frequent transportation service to and on the Moon, conduct lunar surface exploration to map, process and deliver resources to our customers in cislunar space, and develop the lunar data market. It also demonstrates Japan's leadership by engaging new-to-space industry into lunar markets. In addition to this development, ispace just released their latest quarterly report (Q1 of Fiscal Year Ending March 2025, which means April-June 2024). Besides a detailed review of the activity moving forward, ispace indicated they target a second lunar cargo launch for this coming winter. 

Two US federal watchdogs released reports on NASA, Boeing, and Artemis

Two US federal watchdogs recently released reports relevant to Artemis. The first report, released by the NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), calls into question Boeing’s standards and quality control for its part in NASA’s efforts to return astronauts to the Moon with the Artemis program. The report conclusions were summarized in this NBC review, as it comes at a time when Boeing is already confronted to the Starliner woes, with two astronauts who remain stranded in the ISS for now. The second report, released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), further highlights critical issues with two Artemis IV vehicles: Gateway and SLS Block 1B, the upgraded SLS variant. It also mentions that NASA should document and communicate plans to address Gateway's mass risk. This latest point is related to the fact that additional modules (SpaceX/Starship and potentially other commercial providers) are of larger mass. More details are available in this Payload review of the reports. Hopefully, Artemis will get back on track, whomever wins the upcoming US election.

Intuitive Machines' growing ambitions

 Intuitive Machines have clearly stated that they seek to take over NASA’s VIPER lunar rover mission, by setting up a coalition of organizations that will enable this to happen.  Furthermore, the company, which recorded high Q2 2024 revenue, also indicated it looks forward to breaking into the national security space sector.

China could develop a dual relay satellite system for Earth-Moon communications 

China seems to have assessed that relying on foreign terrestrial space assets for its own Earth-Moon communications could pose a geopolitical risk in current and future circumstances. To hedge that risk, it is understood that China could develop dual relay satellite systems for Earth-Moon communications. Chinese researchers intend to achieve this by combining separate Earth and lunar orbit relay systems, to reduce risks and uncertainty associated with relying on ground stations in other countries. Their work is available on the site SciEngine with an English abstract and the main content in Chinese. Andrew Jones provides a summary in Space News.

Two Chinese spacecrafts appear to reach lunar orbit despite launch setback

Back in March 2024, the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), had launched a mission consisting of lunar satellites DRO-A and DRO-B. At the mission, there seemed to have been an anomaly as the two satellites appeared stranded in low Earth orbit. However recently, the CSU posted on the Tieba Baidu social networking platform a slide with brief update. It would appear that both the DRO-A and DRO-B spacecraft have successfully entered distant retrograde orbits around the Moon after all. The DRO missions are part of a pilot project run by CAS. While not immediately critical to the International Lunar Research Station development, to have overcome orbital challenges opens more possibilities for future Chinese lunar developments. More details are available with Andrew Jones in Space News.

Starpath Raises $12M For Lunar Ice Mining

Starpath is a US start-up developing the infrastructure for lunar resource extraction—including a power plant, a fleet of rovers, and a processing plant. They just raised $12M in seed funding from a group of venture investors led by 8VC and Fusion Fund. According to CEO Saurav Shroff, the capital will allow the company to build out a full scale terrestrial demonstration of its system and accelerate its path to testing on the Moon. After NASA announced it would be canceling its VIPER rover mission, set to be delivered to the Moon by Astrobotic next year, Starpath submitted an offer to fill the empty cargo bay on Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander with their own technology demonstrator. The company bets on the lunar economy, selling large quantities of LOX propellant to companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, that are already building reusable vehicles to visit the Moon. Saurav and co-founder Mihir Gondhalekar, the company’s CTO, are both SpaceX alums. More details in Tim Fernholz's report for Payload.

Lunar Outpost is teaming up with oil giant Castrol on its Lunar Voyage 1 mission to the Moon’s south pole

Lunar Outpost is teaming up with oil giant Castrol on its Lunar Voyage 1 mission to the Moon’s south pole, Their Lunar Voyage 1 mission—the second of four planned lunar missions—is expected to launch this year aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Lunar Outpost is planning to use an Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander to get its rover —the Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform, or MAPP—to the Shackleton Range at the Moon’s south pole. If successful, MAPP could become the first rover on the Moon’s south pole and the first commercial rover on another planetary body. In addition, Lunar Outpost could conduct the first sale of space resources. Oil giant Castrol acts as both navigator and operator of the mission. As navigator: they define and execute the lunar surface itinerary, avoiding pitfalls and monitoring functions on board to guide MAPP to its destination. As operator, they monitor and operating customer payloads aboard MAPP, including a Nokia payload designed to establish the first cellular network on another planetary body. More details in Douglas Gorman's report for Payload.

A NASA autonomous satellites swarm experiment could also be used for the Moon

A NASA formation-flying experiment shows the promise of autonomous navigation for satellite swarms. The four cubesats in the Starling Formation-Flying Optical Experiment, or StarFOX, calculate their orbits by combining visual images from star trackers with robotics algorithms. According to Simone D’Amico, Stanford University associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics and founding director of Stanford’s Space Rendezvous Lab, “Such a visual-navigation system on a swarm of satellite can be used to navigate around Earth. Since we don’t use GPS, it can be used to fly around the moon or around Mars with an increased level of autonomy.” Mission operators communicate with Starling, a swarm of four cubesats launched on a Rocket Lab Electron in July 2023, as a single entity. StarFOX is one of four experiments testing communications, navigation and autonomy technologies for future swarms. More details in Debra Werner's piece for Space News.

Leonard David: Long-term Moon mission safety depends on sturdy infrastructure

In late July 2024, the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium held a launch and landing facilities workshop on July 23, staged by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. Specialists from NASA, industry and academia took part, allwith an eye toward orchestrating an enduring human presence on the lunar landscape. Leonard David, in a piece for Space News, reflects on significant challenges that remains, such as constructing launch and landing facilities, addressing moonquakes, and developing sustainable infrastructures. 

Andrew Jones: Chinese scientists outline major cislunar space infrastructure project In a piece for Space News, China reporter Andrew Jones (Helsinki-based) describes how "Chinese scientists outline major cislunar space infrastructure project“. The proposed infrastructure includes a comprehensive system providing data communication, positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), as well as space situational monitoring services for ground-based, near-Earth, cislunar, lunar surface, and deep space users. The article, titled Orbit Design Method of Near-Lunar Space Constellation, was published in the Chinese Space Science and Technology Journal in June 2024. Authors, including Yang Mengfei, a senior scientist at the China Academy of Space Technology, lay out conceptual framework and development plans for a phased constellation to support various human activities in cislunar space. Design focuses on communications capabilities and lunar navigation, as well as cost for deployment and maintenance. The piece concludes that ”It remains to be seen how and when such a constellation will be deployed in cislunar space, and the ensuing leverage that could provide to China in the context of safe, peaceful, and sustainable lunar activities."

Is the United States doing enough to engage with China on space policy? 

In a piece in The Space Review published by Jeff Foust, Mariam Kvaratskhelia reviews the current state of limited engagement between the US and China on space policy. In summary, the author has a skeptical approach to the US engaging with China on space issues, with a rationale essentially based on geopolitical and security considerations. Mariam Kvaratskhelia is a recent graduate of Georgetown University's Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program, specializing in transatlantic security, defense and nuclear strategy. She has more than eight years of experience in academic research, writing, and project management.

NASA requests details on potential partnerships for the private sector to take over the VIPER rover project

NASA had announced in July 2024 that it would cancel its VIPER robotic lunar rover project. That announcement drew a strong response from the public asking the US Congress to salvage VIPER: the response included more than 2,000 supporters ranging from engineers to space enthusiasts and led by the Planetary Society, who signed a letter asking lawmakers to add the program back into NASA’s budget (in the meantime, the Senate had been pushing back on a number of NASA budget cuts, but that didn't include any specific position on VIPER). So eventually in August 2024, NASA requested concepts from companies and organizations willing to take over VIPER. The NASA Request For Information (RFI) is to be responded to by 02 September 2024. Intuitive Machines has already signaled its intent to take over the VIPER project. In the meantime, NASA also announced that it plans to soon make its first robotic lunar lander awards in more than a year, regardless of how the VIPER issue will be resolved. Furthermore, NASA also said that they aren't reconsidering plans to select only one company to develop an Artemis lunar rover.  Ultimately, this raises several interesting questions: while flipping the VIPER project to the private sector might be a viable option, the primary goal is to execute a US-led exploratory mission with a scientific payload to obtain ground truth about lunar water and other resources data. Obtaining that data implies a number of geopolitical leadership and programmatic implications for Artemis role in the lunar resources economy. More analysis and views can be found in this piece by Tim Fernholz in Payload, whose punchline provides some food for thought: "If a private company does rescue VIPER, the world could gather important data about resources on the Moon. But NASA’s decision to move forward with its Moon program without this critical data does return us to the perpetual question of whether the Artemis program is really about sustaining a long-term return to the Moon, or simply a plan to deliver flags and footprints."

NASA funding research on sustainability that includes cislunar space

As part of NASA’s commitment to foster responsible exploration of the universe for the benefit of humanity, the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) is funding space sustainability research proposals from five university-based teams to analyze critical economic, social, and policy issues related to Earth’s orbit and cislunar space. NASA defined two priorities that are Earth orbital debris and lunar sustainability: three of the five total awards will fund research that addresses the growing problem of orbital debris, while the remaining two focus on lunar surface sustainability and policy questions that may factor into mission planning. On the lunar topic, the awarded lunar research includes this study “Synthesizing Frameworks of Sustainability for Futures on the Moon,” submitted by Afreen Siddiqi (ESL).

Orbital Space and Astrobotic announce the first privately funded lunar mission from the Arab world

Orbital Space has unveiled the Orbital Space Lunar Program, a landmark initiative in the Arab world’s space exploration history. This program will send a student-built experiment to the Moon, marking the Arab world’s first privately funded lunar mission, spearheaded by the pioneering efforts of Orbital Space. In collaboration with Astrobotic, a space robotics and lunar logistics company, this mission underlines a significant step in the education and space exploration in the region. The centerpiece of this mission, the Lunaris Platform, was selected through a rigorous global competition judged by a panel of experts from Orbital Space, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), UAE Space Agency, and Astrobotic. The winning experiment, crafted by students from AGH University of Science and Technology in Poland, focuses on analyzing interactions between lunar regolith and various materials that could be used in making cables and connectors for future lunar missions. Astrobotic will be an integral part of this Orbital Space Lunar Program, and more mission details are available here. 

Intuitive Machines and SEOPS partner on lunar rideshare services

Smallsat launch services company SEOPS is partnering with Intuitive Machines to provide rideshare opportunities. While expanding its business as a provider of payload integration services, through this partnership with Intuitive Machines, SEOPS Space will be able to provide its payload customers with access to cislunar space. 

.ispace-U.S. Accelerates Its Mission 3 Utilizing Agile Development with Fusion by Stoke Space 

Fusion is hardware development software that redefines how designers, engineers, and technicians build sophisticated machines. Fusion was co-created alongside Stoke Space’s fully reusable rocket program, enabling the company to achieve its own hardware milestones faster than previous industry benchmarks. It turns out ispace-U.S. engineers have been using Fusion a lot for inventory management. At ASCEND, ispace-U.S. formally announced the selection of Fusion by Stoke Space to accelerate its Mission 3 development. ispace-U.S. will be adopting Fusion as its Manufacturing Execution System. ispace-U.S. is expected to expand its collaboration with Fusion to integrate other business areas contributing to Mission 3 and future mission progress.

Astrobotic awarded by NASA a lunar power study to develop a VSAT-XL 

Astrobotic has been selected by NASA for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award worth approximately $150k to develop an Extra Large Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT-XL) for the Moon. VSAT-XL’s impressive size, 34m tall and 12.5m wide, would be the largest planned lunar power infrastructure technology to date to meet the growing energy demands on the lunar surface. This new array will build on the 10kW lunar VSAT already in development at Astrobotic under an existing NASA contract. VSAT-XL, like its smaller cousin, is a deployable, relocatable, self-leveling, sun-tracking solar powered system. However, it is designed to increase power output from 10 kW to 50 kW.  VSAT-XL is part of the LunaGrid system, Astrobotic’s power generation and distribution service for long-term human and robotic operations at the south pole of the Moon. LunaGrid is designed to supply power to enable crewed and robotic operations for months at a time, including Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS) deliveries; larger decadal science missions; commercial payloads; and the Artemis campaign, requiring large quantities of lunar surface power.

GEGSLA's Active Role in IAC 2024: Promoting Sustainable Lunar Activities

The Global Expert Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities (GEGSLA) continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of lunar exploration, and their involvement in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2024 is a testament to the ongoing commitment to sustainable and peaceful lunar activities.

At IAC 2024, GEGSLA will present two papers that highlight the group's efforts and achievements in fostering international collaboration and developing comprehensive frameworks for sustainable lunar operations. The two key presentations at IAC 2024 are related to the GEGSLA Operational Phase Results and Outlook, as well as the Role of Lunar Exploration and Utilization for the Earth Environment.

These presentations will offer valuable insights into how GEGSLA's initiatives are contributing to the advancement of lunar governance and environmental stewardship, reinforcing the importance of international cooperation in ensuring that lunar activities are conducted in a manner that is both sustainable and beneficial to all humankind.

 Upcoming GNF at IAC 2024: "Sustainable Lunar Environment: The Next Challenge

The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2024 will feature a highly anticipated Global Networking Forum (GNF) titled "Sustainable Lunar Environment: The Next Challenge." This online event is scheduled for Friday, September 27, from 15:00 to 15:45 CEST. The session will explore the pressing challenges and opportunities related to creating a sustainable environment on the Moon, with a focus on collaboration between key stakeholders in the space industry.

The GNF will feature distinguished speakers, including Timothy Cichan from Lockheed Martin Co., Richard Green from the International Astronomical Union (IAU), Jim Keravala from Off World Inc., and Jean Claude Worms from COSPAR. The discussion will be moderated by Giuseppe Reibaldi, representing the Moon Village Association (MVA).

This event, organized by the Moon Village Association, promises to be a crucial platform for discussing the future of lunar sustainability and the next steps in humanity's journey to the Moon.

The event will be available to follow here.

8th Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium: Luxembourg, December 202

The 8th Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium, hosted by the Luxembourg Space Agency and the Moon Village Association (MVA), will take place from December 2-3, 2024, at the European Convention Center in Luxembourg. This annual forum is a significant event for global leaders and experts in lunar exploration and utilization, offering a platform to discuss the latest developments and future plans related to humanity’s expansion to the Moon.

As the MVA’s premier event, the Workshop & Symposium will focus on the recent progress made in the Moon Village initiative, bringing together stakeholders from government space agencies, commercial entities, and academia. Participants will share insights, innovative ideas, and key information, fostering international collaboration to advance sustainable lunar activities.

This event follows the successful 7th Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium held in Kurashiki & Tottori, Japan, and the 6th edition in Los Angeles, USA, continuing the tradition of gathering experts dedicated to humanity’s future on the Moon.

For more information about the upcoming event and previous workshops, visit the MVA website.

Join as a GEGSLA Participant

If you're interested in joining GEGSLA as a participant in its Operational Phase and support the dissemination of the Recommended Framework, you may express your interest at the form here. This Expression of Interest form is designed to gather information from individuals who are interested in becoming members of the group. It includes questions about the applicant's background, expertise, and interest in sustainable lunar activities. The purpose of this form is to recruit qualified individuals who can contribute to the group's mission of promoting sustainable and responsible lunar activities through the GEGSLA Framework.

Outreach Events on Lunar Coordination and the GEGSLA Framework

We invite all community members to join us in spreading lunar knowledge by organizing Outreach Events focused on Lunar Coordination and the GEGSLA Framework. Whether you're a seasoned space expert or simply curious about lunar advancements, outreach events provide a platform to discuss and learn about optimized lunar infrastructure and its implications for the future. It is a great opportunity to share insights, engage with fellow enthusiasts, and contribute to the expansion of lunar knowledge. If you are organizing an outreach event related to our work at GEGSLA or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at gegsla@moonvillageassociation.org

MVA Adaptive Governance Working Group

The Adaptive Governance Working Group (AGWG) of the Moon Village Association is dedicated to promoting cooperation, coordination and governance for peaceful and sustainable activities on the Moon, converging with the work of GEGSLA. Among its recent activities are the Registration Project, the inputs for the UN COPUOS LSC Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities and the ongoing Benefit Sharing Project (BSP). Get involved by contacting the WG secretary Constantine Arhontas at arhontas@unlv.nevada.edu.

During the current Operational Phase, GEGSLA's main sponsors for 2024 so far, are Luxembourg Space Agency, COSPAR – Committee on Space Research and Lockheed Martin. We are grateful for their continued support in our efforts to foster sustainability and inclusion in future lunar activities. Our sponsors are essential players in making our vision for an international Moon Village a reality.

GEGSLA is committed to advancing the cause of sustainable lunar exploration on a global scale. In line with MVA's mission, we promote peaceful, collaborative, and sustainable lunar activities while fostering international cooperation. We believe that the Moon holds immense potential for scientific, economic, and societal advancement and is vital to humanity's future.

In 2025, we have ambitious plans to further these goals:

1. Policy Advocacy within the UN Framework: We will continue our engagement with international space organizations and policymakers to advocate for policies promoting responsible lunar resource use. We'll share our Recommended Framework for Sustainable Lunar Activities, focusing on bodies like the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and the Summit of the Future (SoF).

2. Raising Awareness via Outreach: GEGSLA will actively raise awareness about lunar sustainability through webinars, seminars, and conferences. We aim to present our findings during COPUOS sessions, ensuring our recommendations are considered at the highest levels of space governance.

3. Collaborative Projects: We seek partnerships with organizations sharing our vision to initiate projects in lunar exploration, research, and sustainability, turning our framework into actionable solutions.

4. Working Groups: Expert-led working groups will tackle lunar sustainability facets, developing guidelines and recommendations.

Your sponsorship of GEGSLA for our 2025 activities directly contributes to lunar exploration and sustainable Moon presence. It supports planning and execution of these activities, ensuring their success. In return, we offer tailored benefits, including prominent visibility, acknowledgments, and networking opportunities.

By joining us, you demonstrate commitment to responsible space exploration and play a pivotal role in shaping lunar activities' future. We are actively seeking sponsors to be confirmed by end of November 2024.

If you are interested in sponsoring GEGSLA's activities, you may contact us at gegsla@moonvillageassociation.org or donate directly to GEGSLA through the MVA website here.

Coming in October 18th: 7th GEGSLA Operational Meeting

The Global Experts Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities (GEGSLA) will hold its 7th operational meeting on October 18, 2024, from 14:00 to 18:00 CEST, in the margins of IAC 2024 in Milano, Italy. This physical gathering will bring together leading experts and stakeholders to discuss the ongoing efforts and future strategies for sustainable lunar exploration and utilization.

The meeting highlights the importance of international cooperation and strategic planning in ensuring the sustainable exploration and utilization of lunar resources, setting the stage for significant advancements in the coming years.

Contact Us

If you would like to share news or events in our next monthly newsletter, partner with GEGSLA, or highlight your organization's work, reach out to us at gegsla@moonvillageassociation.org