Nasa Warned Over Risks of Moon Resource Exploitation
Nasa is preparing to launch the commercial Peregrine mission to the moon this week, but astronomers have issued a warning that the exploitation of the moon’s resources could have serious long-term effects on scientific research.
The Centre for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, has emphasized the urgency of the issue, with Martin Elvis stating, “We need to act now because decisions made today will set the tone for our future behavior on the moon.”
Professor Richard Green from the University of Arizona also stressed the importance of careful consideration in lunar resource exploitation, noting that there are only a handful of promising scientific sites on the moon that need to be protected.
He added, “The trouble is that it takes a long time to make changes to UN treaties, so we have to act now if we are to have a hope of making sure we have international agreements in place to protect the unique scientific features of the moon and ensure they are not destroyed through thoughtless exploitation.”
This warning comes as a privately built US lander, the “Peregrine,” developed by Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic, is set to land on the moon, marking the first commercial mission to land on the moon and the first US-backed mission in more than 50 years.
The issue of lunar resource exploitation raises important questions about the future of lunar exploration and the preservation of scientific research. As Nasa and other organizations ramp up their efforts in lunar exploration, the need for careful consideration in the utilization of the moon’s resources has become increasingly apparent.