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AROUND THE WORLD 2: Human Base on the Moon

Space scientists are hoping to establish a human base on the moon in the event that a catastrophe should befall Earth, such as an asteroid or nuclear war. Although one scientist believed that the risk of nuclear war was low, he believed it was possible that the Earth might be struck by an asteroid within the next 400 years and wipe out all life on our planet.

The base built on moon would be a permanent Noah's Ark-type establishment, where human life could be sustained and used to repopulate the earth after a catastrophe. Samples of organisms and a DNA repository would be placed on the lunar base and used in repopulation efforts.

The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch the first unmanned mission to the moon in November. Other goals to follow include a manned mission to the moon by 2020 along with the establishment of a lunar base several years afterwards. European scientists aim to set up a closed biosphere that would allow a 10-person crew to live on the moon for 100 days at a time. They also plan to conduct experiments in order to help them understand how to live off the moon's resources, such as solar energy and soil minerals. Ultimately, scientists would like to build a community made up of hundreds of people, both male and female.

The ESA is working with space programs in other countries, such as the U.S. and China, in order maximize the use of various resources. In the United States, for example, President George W. Bush introduced a space exploration plan for the next five years that will cost $12 billion. Between 2015 and 2020, the President also plans to launch a manned space mission to the moon and build a permanent base there.

--Written by Renee Clara

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