Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

The Moon is coming into sharp focus given this week’s first United Nations Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities in Vienna, Austria.

Taking part are astronauts, heads of space agencies, the scientific and legal communities, and industry to address common approaches, priorities, and expectations for the peaceful, sustainable, and cooperative exploration of the Moon.

The conference underscored the significant number of lunar missions that are planned in the coming decade, ranging from potential permanent settlements to expanding commercial interests. 

According to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), since the start of the space age in the 1950s, there have been more than 77 successful lunar missions. “This number is expected to increase tremendously over the next few years with more crewed landings, soft landings, and sample return missions, amongst others, planned for the future by both public and private entities.”

Image credit: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

Key takeaways

Invited State signatories to the U.S. Artemis Accords, as well as China’s International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), are on tap to exchange views on the origins, goals, and ambitions of future Moon exploration projects.

An interactive workshop has been staged to spur possible common priorities and expectations for peaceful, safe, and sustainable lunar activities. 

Key takeaways from the conference include:

• the importance of transparency
• the role of interoperability
• the usefulness of dedicated international platforms for consultations among stakeholders
• the significance of predictability and “proactiveness”
• the driving and unifying value of science
• and the benefits that exploring and using the Moon can deliver to all humanity.

International consensus

The conference was held ahead of the 67th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

Earth’s Moon as viewed from the International Space Station.
Image credit: NASA

One outcome is the potential establishment of an Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultations (ATLAC). 

“This first UN Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities has shown that there is a growing international consensus of the need for consultation and coordination on lunar exploration rather than a ‘space race’ or division of space policy,” said Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of UNOOSA in a statement.

“As was the case when countries came together to negotiate the 2019 Guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space,” Holla-Maini added, “I am confident the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space will also advance on these much-needed activities and on topics such as space resources, leveraging expert-driven consultations as a mechanism to do so. Watch this space.”

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