Projects for the Development of the Moon
Projects for the development of the Moon enters a new era. Until the end of the current decade, many missions on the moon are planned, including projects of both space agencies and commercial companies. The main attention is drawn to the ambitious program of the NASA “Artemis”, which provides for the return of a person to the lunar surface by the middle of the decade.
The surge in interest is due to various reasons: geopolitical ambitions and the search for lunar resources, such as water at the poles of the moon, which can be converted into fuel for missiles. However, science will also receive significant benefits from this.
The moon can tell a lot about the origin and evolution of the solar system and is a valuable platform for astronomical observations. Of particular interest is the possibility of using the Moon for radiostronomy, especially from the reverse side, which is constantly hidden from the ground. This makes her an ideal place to study radio waves, since it is protected from earthly radio signals and solar radiation.
The scientific community is already discussing the potential of the moon as a platform for observing the early Universe, especially the “Dark Ages” before the formation of the first galaxies. This period is characterized by the radiation of neutral hydrogen, which can now only be observed in the long-wave range available for studying precisely from the back of the moon.
In addition, the moon can play a key role in the study of exoplanets and the search for extraterrestrial civilizations. The first assessments of the potential of such observations are expected after launching the NASA Lusee-Night mission to the back of the moon in 2025 or 2026.
Lunar craters also offer unique possibilities for infrared astronomy, since some of them are never lit by the sun and support low temperatures, which is ideal for infrared telescopes.
Low gravity of the moon can allow you to build much larger telescopes than possible for satellites. These factors can make the moon the future bridgehead of infrared astronomy, according to the astronomer Jean-Pierre Mayar.
In addition, the lunar surface exposed to solar wind and cosmic rays for billions of years may contain