The moon, October 5, 2020. -

Michael Probst / AP / SIPA

European astronauts will be well on their way to the moon.

The European Space Agency (ESA) made sure of this.

She said Tuesday, October 27 that she had reached an agreement with NASA, reports

Numerama

.

The signed protocol will allow members of the European Astronaut Corps to climb into a rocket for flights around the Earth satellite.

Three flights are scheduled, specifies the ESA in its press release.

The missions will likely take astronauts inside Gateway, the future space station that will orbit the moon, for a long time.

But it is not only a question of manned flights in this American-European agreement.

Forward to the Moon! #ForwardToTheMoon 🚀🌕



A memorandum of understanding signed today between @NASA and @ESA guarantees 3 flights around the Moon to European astronauts, and great opportunities for European industry 👉 https://t.co/v43AKOiyU8pic.twitter.com/XmEHYltFum

- ESA France (@ESA_fr) October 27, 2020

Thomas Pesquet candidate?

The protocol provides for Europeans to provide logistical assistance.

Two service modules will be delivered to NASA.

They will provide electricity, water, oxygen and nitrogen to NASA's Orion spacecraft, says

Numerama

.

These devices will be designed by Thales Alenia Space.

One in France and the other in Italy.

Other modules could be delivered later.

NASA will provide the majority, but international agreements provide that Japan, Canada and Russia also participate in the program.

For its lunar projects, NASA has never hidden that it is seeking the assistance of Europeans or India, for example.

It remains to find the candidates and which country will provide them.

Seven members make up the European Astronaut Corps: two Germans, two Italians, one British, one Danish and one French.

The latter is Thomas Pesquet.

By 2030, Gateway is expected to be completed.

The Frenchman will be 52 years old and will always be a candidate for a stay in the space station.

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