European Joint Moon Missions with Russia

To all Future Wolf Tech readers. I am currently working on an article on potential collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian Space Agency on moon missions. The posts main focus will be potentially better partners for the ESA other then Russia.


Gibney, Elizabeth. "Europe Proposes Joint Moon Trips with Russia." Nature. Nature Publishing Group, 9 Dec. 2014. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. <http://www.nature.com/news/europe-proposes-joint-moon-trips-with-russia-1.16517>.

Europe proposes joint moon trips with Russia amidst intense strain brought upon by Europe Russian relations over the situation in Ukraine.

The Europeans Space agency believed that currently only Russia is able to help them as they are the only nation apart from the US to have experience with moon missions.

European space agency is already collaborating with NASA for development of high power rocket engines though no thought of collaboration with the US has been made even when private firms in the US are showing increased interest in moon missions.

Davies, Chris. "Google Lunar XPRIZE Awards $5.25m to Moon Mission Hopefuls." SlashGear. SlashGear, 31 Jan. 2015. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. <http://www.slashgear.com/google-lunar-xprize-awards-5-25m-to-moon-mission-hopefuls-26366206/>.

Article on google investment on a lunar mission posted by slash gear for similar unmanned missions as proposed by the ESA and the Russians.

Private firms in the US such as SpaceX have already pledged large amounts of money to future developments in space technology. Some firms such as Boeing and SpaceX have been working with NASA for a long time now. SpaceX is one of the few groups able to send missions to the International Space Station while the ESA has long relied on Soviet Era Soyuz rockets.

Moon, Meriella. "Engadget | Technology News, Advice and Features." Engadget. AOL Inc., 17 Jan. 2015. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. <http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/17/elon-musk-spacex-internet/'>.

Elon musk, CEO of SpaceX and his $10 billion commitment to future development of rocket technologies would serve as more reliable partners for the Europeans without the problems of external politics playing hampering relations. Especially in a time where most countries are not willing to even spend more than a few hundred million on their space programs.

Cooperation with Russia on space missions as described by the Nature article doesn’t even seem to have the backing of member states in the ESA. Though the plan was the only viable option presented at the time many alternatives were not even discussed even when nations with significantly better relations with Europe currently such as Japan were mentioned as having plans for moon missions as well. The idea of a joint moon missions with Russia seems to stem from the 20 year collaboration on the international space station during times when relations were not so strained and both organizations had significant funds to make these joint missions. European reliance on outdated Russian Soyuz rockets would be better solved by working with different companies or countries that already have significant knowledge of rocketry to develop or buy more efficient, modern rockets such as the ones being made by SpaceX.

Overall the ESA cooperation with Russia seems like an out dated policy considering the rise of more viable partners for space exploration. Especially amidst growing strain on the relations between Russia and the rest of Europe.