ROME (Italian Space Agency PR) — The Italian Space Agency and NASA have signed an agreement for bilateral cooperation. The objective is the realization of a preliminary study dedicated to the development planning of the housing capacities related to the future lunar modules, the Lunar Surface Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) Module (s) proposed by ASI, of the Artemis program.
To sign the President of ASI, Giorgio Saccoccia and the Administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson, on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Interministerial Committee for Policies relating to Space and Aerospace Research (COMINT), chaired by the Minister for Technological Innovation and the digital transition with responsibility for space and aerospace policies, Vittorio Colao and in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio.
ASI will conduct the study with the support of the Italian industry in order to develop a project that complies with the objectives of the Artemis mission and the requirements provided by NASA. The latter will undertake to support the Agency by providing updated technical and programmatic information on the program.
The Artemis program will lay the foundations for a long-term presence on the lunar surface and will use our satellite to validate the living systems in deep space, indispensable for future missions to Mars. As part of the Artemis program, NASA will conduct a mission bringing the first woman and the next man to the lunar surface, using the Space Launch System (SLS) launcher that will transport astronauts aboard the Orion capsule.
