Interesting Facts

The European Space Agency has announced a New Year resolution.  It plans to build a ‘moon village’ within the next two decades from which it will explore the galaxy. (They plan to build a 3D-printed base on the moon from a naturally-occurring radiation-resistant moon material called regolith. The ‘village’ would most likely be built on the rim of a south pole crater called Shackleton, where it would receive almost limitless solar power. They first discussed plans to build a lunar base in 2013, but it has now developed a timetable for the plans and has set 2030 as its goal. I'm not sure if this blog will continue until then, but watch this space.)

In 1969 Buzz Aldrin claimed $33.31 in travel expenses. What for? His trip to the moon! #TBT My mission director @Buzzs_xtina 's favorite piece of my memorabilia. My travel voucher to the moon. #Apollo11 pic.twitter.com/c89UyOfvgY — Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 30, 2015

A firm of architects, Fosters and Partners, have revealed designs for constructing a building on the Moon. (Following collaboration between a number of organisations including the European Space Agency, the idea is that an inflatable structure would be transported from Earth, then covered with a shell built by 3D printers. The 3D printers would use a material already on the surface of the moon - moon dust aka regolith. Moon-base Alpha, here we come!) Source: BBC News

A new space company called Golden Spike is planning to offer private trips to the moon before 2020. (The company is run by former Nasa bosses and will use rocket technology that has already been developed. The cost?  A cool £871million!) Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration