A resort hotel on the moon may be just a few decades away, as the European Space Agency is proposing to build a lunar vacation spot. Tourists flying to our planetary companion will stay inside a structure, which will have parts made with the use of 3D printers.
This "Lunar Village" would be the first structure of its kind, a unique accomplishment for Europe, and the human race in general.
"My intention is to build up a permanent base station on the moon. ... Meaning that it's an open station, for different member states, for different states around the globe," said Jan Woerner, director general of ESA.
The Lunar Village would likely be built near the poles of the moon, where water ice is trapped at the bottom of dark craters. Such placement would not only provide water for the tourists, but would also allow for constant daylight, unlike other locations on the lunar surface.
Visitors would wear normal clothing while inside the resort, donning spacesuits when out on the lunar surface.
The proposal outlining the plan suggests that this resort could house scientists and prospectors, along with the next generation of space tourists. Construction of the facility would largely be financed by Russia, together with contributions from China, Japan and India.
ESA managers are warning the public of space travel dangers, including extreme temperatures, radiation from the sun, and micrometeorites.
By 2030, it may be possible to construct a base on the moon, providing a supply station for space travelers on their journeys to Mars or other locations in the solar system, mission engineers speculate.
"The ESA space-exploration strategy sets the moon as a priority destination for humans on the way to Mars, and the recent talk of a 'Moon Village' certainly has generated a lot of positive energy in Europe ... [of] Europe playing a role in a global human exploration scenario," said Kathy Laurini of NASA's Exploration Roadmap Working Group.
Although such a base is feasible, there are no dates set yet for the public grand opening. Tourists wishing to visit the moon can afford to wait to pack their bags - rockets ferrying passengers to the lunar surface are not leaving anytime soon.
