Europe and Russia mission to assess Moon settlement

The BBC reported on the 16 October 2015 that the European and Russian space agencies were planning to send a lander to an unexplored area at the Moon's south pole.

It would be one of a series of missions that prepared for the return of humans to the surface and a possible permanent settlement.

Europe's participation in the mission was due to receive final approval at a meeting of ministers in late 2016.

Website: European Space Agency (ESA) http://www.esa.int/ESA

Website: Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) http://en.federalspace.ru/

ESA: ESTEC http://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESTEC/ESTEC_European_Space_Research_and_Technology_Centre

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