Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: Thales Alenia Space

A Multi-Purpose Habitation module for the Moon is under development.

Thales Alenia Space has inked a contract with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to develop the human outpost on the lunar surface.

The Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module is leveraging Italy’s technological and manufacturing capabilities.

MPH is planned for launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in 2033 and will be the “first ever dedicated habitation asset” on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis Accords between NASA and ASI for bilateral Moon cooperation, according to a Thales Alenia Space press statement.

With/without astronauts

The MPH module can host astronauts, support surface operations, enable scientific research experiments – with and without the presence of a human crew.

Image credit: NASA/Reese Patillo

The MPH will have the capability to move on the lunar surface.

Early work on MPH will focus on enabling technologies to thwart the cruel environmental conditions on the Moon, the wild thermal variations, as well as omnipresent lunar dust, high radiation levels, micrometeoroid impacts, and the effects of reduced lunar gravity, adds the statement from Thales Alenia Space.

Thales Alenia Space supports industrial sites located in France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, and Luxembourg.