Government Participation in a new lunar exploration plan for rice
Regarding the new space station that goes around the moon and the lunar exploration plan that the United States is advancing, the national space policy committee has compiled a policy to participate as promoting the peaceful use of space. On the other hand, it should be noted that it should participate in a sharp manner due to severe financial circumstances, and the government will soon formally decide on this policy.
The United States has started the operation of a new space station that will orbit the moon by 2024, the `` astronauts '' will be sent to the moon, and plans to explore Mars in the future have been formulated, participating in each country Is calling for.
The national space policy committee has a significance in terms of diplomatic and security perspectives such as promoting the peaceful use of space and deepening cooperation between the United States and Japan, and improving its international presence through high technology. The policy to participate in the lunar exploration plan including
Items to be cooperated include providing equipment using Japanese technology such as oxygen supply devices and batteries to the gateway, supplying supplies on unmanned space transport ships, sharing data on the moon, The development of a lunar exploration vehicle that moves on the surface of the moon is a total of four.
On the other hand, paying attention only to those that are cost-effective based on severe financial circumstances, paying attention to securing the presence as a space advanced country through the moon landing of Japanese astronauts, etc. It should be.
The government is expected to formally decide this policy soon.
The plan has been announced by Canada so far, and Europe is expected to decide to participate next month.
Noriyuki Kasai, Chairman of the Space Policy Committee, said, “By expressing early participation, there will be more opportunities to contribute in areas that Japan is good at. There are many difficult issues such as cost effectiveness, but we will continue to consider them I want to do it. "