Next Steps Toward an International Lunar Base
November 10, 2008
Source: ILEWG
Approximately 200 International Lunar Explorers gathered at the 10th ILEWG Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon (ICEUM10) from October 27–31 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The meeting was co-sponsored by the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG), NASA Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG), Space Resources Roundtable (SRR), and Lunar and Planetary Institute.
The conference engaged scientists, engineers, industry, and organizations in the review of recent activities and the coordinated preparation of the next steps on the Moon.
The “Cape Canaveral Lunar Declaration 2008” was discussed and approved by ILEWG-LEAG-SRR conference participants on the last day of a very successful and interactive lunar conference. The participants were charged by LEAG, ILEWG, and SRR to address 12 key questions. They summarized their findings and made 13 recommendations.
Finally, the participants in the ILEWG/LEAG/SRR 2008 conference “reaffirmed their commitment to international lunar exploration, from the analysis and integration of current lunar orbiter data, to the development of lunar landers and rovers, the build up of a global robotic village, and the preparation for human settlements and international lunar bases.”
“With Chandrayaan-1 joining Kaguya and Chang’e-1 in lunar orbit, we now have an international family of lunar orbiters and great prospects for exciting data,” said Bernard Foing, ILEWG Executive Director. “Within a few years, robotic landers and rovers will bring new science, technology progress, and opportunities for the next generation of explorers and entrepreneurs.”
“International collaboration is especially important to prepare for the next era of human exploration of the Moon, for which plans are ambitious and budgets are fixed,” said Clive Neal , Chair of LEAG. “The other dimension is the involvement of the commercial sector either through the buying of services or creating capabilities such as prizes to demonstrate new technologies.”
“For a sustainable and effective exploration, we need to use lunar resources, and to live off the land,” added Leslie Gertsch, SRR Chair.
“The meeting was a resounding success, providing an opportunity for the sharing of current progress and future plans among the participating scientists, students, and managers from space faring nations around the world,” said Stephen Mackwell, Director of the Lunar Planetary Institute. “It was great to see so many young scientists with so much enthusiasm for lunar exploration.”
For more information, visit
Cape Canaveral Lunar Declaration 2008
International Lunar Exploration Working Group
Lunar Exploration Analysis Group
Last updated November 10, 2008
