Europe is planning a trip to the moon in 2025

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract with the Arian Grupo group to study the possibility of traveling to the moon before 2025, a precedent for Europe, said the group's managing director. Space industry.

André Ober-Russel also confirmed the date of the first flight of the future European missile Ariane 6 in 2020, when it will replace the current Ariane 5. "This is the first contract announced symbolically during the year. 39, a day during which a lunar eclipse was declared, which is an important station for the Ariane group, "said Russell in an address to reporters.

"I am convinced that the invasion of space is necessary for the future of humanity in general," said the group's new president, who took office on Jan. 1. Europe must keep its place in this area ".

"This study is part of an overall plan of the agency to make Europe a key partner in space exploration over the next decade," said David Parker, Director of Human Exploration and Robotics at the European Space Agency.

"The use of space resources can be the key to a permanent exploration of the moon."

The head of the European Space Agency, Jan Werner, proposed in 2015 to replace the International Space Station located on Earth's orbit with a "permanent lunar village".

The timing of this announcement in 2019 is particularly symbolic as the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of human descent on the moon for the first time in 1969.