Japanese astronauts will land on the moon? Will NASA set up an agreement? 10:25 July 10th

Since Japanese astronauts will land on the moon in the lunar exploration plan promoted by the United States, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and NASA = American Aeronautics and Space Administration will decide on the preconditions. According to the people involved, if a Japanese astronaut is expected to land on the moon, the latter half of the 2020s is assumed, so concrete consideration such as whether to secure a budget in the future will begin in earnest. I will.

The United States is constructing a new space station "Gateway" that orbits the Moon, sending astronauts to the Moon again in 2024, and is advancing the Artemis plan to continue lunar exploration, Japan will participate in the plan However, it is not decided whether Japanese astronauts will land on the moon.

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and NASA Secretary will meet online on the 10th, and sign the joint declaration that the Japanese astronauts will make a pre-requisite agreement for the Artemis project to land on the moon. Did.

In the arrangement, the number of Japanese astronauts on board the "Gateway" will also be considered, and the supply of goods to the "Gateway" by an unmanned space transportation ship contributed by Japan, The details of the four fields will be decided, such as the development of a rover on which the astronaut rides on the moon.

According to the people concerned, if Japanese astronauts will land on the moon, the latter half of the 2020s is expected, and it is estimated that about 200 billion yen will be required by 2026 in the four fields in which Japan will contribute. That is.

It seems that how to secure the budget will become an issue, and in the future, specific studies will begin in earnest.

What is the "Artemis plan"?

The "Artemis Plan" promoted by the United States is a plan to send American astronauts to the moon again, and after that, we are also looking at manned landing on Mars.

Unlike the Apollo program, which sent humankind to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, it aims to carry out continuous exploration and activities on the moon, and develops a farther universe such as looking at manned landing on Mars It is positioned as the first step to take.

With this plan, the United States aims to develop a new rocket and spacecraft to bring American astronauts back to the moon in 2024.

The name used in the plan is Artemis, the Greek goddess of the "moon goddess", and the main purpose is to send a female astronaut to the moon for the first time.

In addition, a new space station called a gateway that orbits the moon will be built and will be fully operational in 2026, where four aviators can stay. Then, based on the gateway, we would like to start full-scale continuous lunar exploration in 2028.

On the other hand, the plan requires a large amount of money, so the United States is proceeding as an international project, and Japan and Europe have announced their participation in the plan.

The plan also calls for a manned landing on Mars in the 2030s based on the Moon.

Regarding space development, China is also proceeding with a plan to construct a space station that orbits the earth independently, and the United States is also under the Artemis plan, and it is said that the purpose is to maintain the initiative in space development.

Koichi Wakata "Important Mission of Humanity"

Astronaut Koichi Wakata, special coordinator of JAXA, said, “From the viewpoint of Japan's international presence and the training of human resources in the future, it is necessary to comprehensively consider that it will have great effects. In order to do so, I think it is an important mission for humanity to expand the area of ​​activity to the Moon and Mars."

Country assumptions and challenges

It is assumed that Japanese astronauts will land on the moon in the late 2020s.

According to the people involved, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is expecting Japanese astronauts to stay at "Gateway" around 2026 when full-scale operation of "Gateway" begins.

In 2028, the moon exploration will continue in earnest, and it is assumed that Japanese astronauts will land on the moon in the latter half of the 2020s.

In addition, Japan's contribution, which is a prerequisite for this, will be to provide equipment such as batteries to be used in the gateway by 2022, as well as supplies for astronauts staying at the gateway in new unmanned space transport ships from 2026 onwards. And refueling, development of a lunar exploration vehicle called a rover that astronauts can ride on the moon, and sharing of data about the moon, there are four in total, in the arrangement Further details are to be decided.

According to the people involved, it is estimated that around 200.0 billion yen will be required by 2026 to implement the four areas in which Japan contributes.

Given that there are many high-priority projects such as countermeasures against the new coronavirus, it will be a big issue how to secure a large budget for new space development.