ESA invites commercial firms to participate in the exploration of the moon
ESA (European Space Agency) has published an invitation to commercial firms to participate in the exploration and exploration of the Moon. At the same time, the ESA is ready to pay for the delivery of its payloads to the moon and for ensuring communication with them. In addition, ESA is ready to fund research on the use of lunar resources and on the development of a sustainable development strategy in this area. While we are not talking about the delivery to the moon of a person, but the COTS program also began with a small one.
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Unfortunately, there is very little information now, there is not even an official text (it is available to ESA partners registered on the site). Therefore, I still don’t know what conditions ESA is ready to offer, can firms from non-ESA countries participate in the tender and on what conditions? Will the ESA only procure services, or is it willing to subsidize development, to what extent and under what conditions?
In general, while there are more questions than answers. However, this is a very significant news, as ESA claims to be a relatively independent player in the new Moon Race, and as a result may affect the position of the new US administration, and the candidate for the post
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, Republican Senator from Alabama. Of the same state, where, of course, quite by accident, the enterprises involved in the construction of the Senate Launch System and Orion are located. Twenty-six billion dollars has already been spent on this construction, and, unexpectedly, Jim Brindestin is a supporter of stable long-term (10-20 years) NASA programs ...
In general, ESA proposes to go another way, by building commercial infrastructure in space. That was the way that SpaceX managed to grow.
As more information becomes available, I will supplement the article. And I will be glad to comment with new information.
Full size (1,06 Mb)
Unfortunately, there is very little information now, there is not even an official text (it is available to ESA partners registered on the site). Therefore, I still don’t know what conditions ESA is ready to offer, can firms from non-ESA countries participate in the tender and on what conditions? Will the ESA only procure services, or is it willing to subsidize development, to what extent and under what conditions?
In general, while there are more questions than answers. However, this is a very significant news, as ESA claims to be a relatively independent player in the new Moon Race, and as a result may affect the position of the new US administration, and the candidate for the post
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, Republican Senator from Alabama. Of the same state, where, of course, quite by accident, the enterprises involved in the construction of the Senate Launch System and Orion are located. Twenty-six billion dollars has already been spent on this construction, and, unexpectedly, Jim Brindestin is a supporter of stable long-term (10-20 years) NASA programs ...
In general, ESA proposes to go another way, by building commercial infrastructure in space. That was the way that SpaceX managed to grow.
As more information becomes available, I will supplement the article. And I will be glad to comment with new information.
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