ASA RESOLUTION 2019-001
COMMENDING THE FOUNDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL MOONBASE ALLIANCE AND VISION FOR ESTABLISHING A LUNAR R&D PARK IN HAWAII
WHEREAS, during the years subsequent to the Apollo Moon landings, human space missions to low-earth orbit (LEO) and robotic missions beyond have accelerated both public and private interest worldwide in future human missions to the Moon, increasing the need for both astronaut training and simulated in-space and remote-surface testbeds and habitat environments; and
WHEREAS, A near-equatorial location and Moon/Mars-like terrain afford key assets and capabilities that can be leveraged to advance both robotic and human exploration and development of space – both on and around the Moon and other remote planetary bodies; and
WHEREAS, for the past decade, Hawaii’s Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES), having evolved robust capabilities to support the development of new robotic and remote-surface-based technologies, as well as human remote surface operations processes, has been supported by the State of Hawaii through Legislative funding, by NASA through Space Act Agreements, and by NASA as well as other international space agencies and commercial organizations through technology-related grants and in-kind support; and
WHEREAS, the International MoonBase Alliance (IMA) was formed in October of 2017 with the purpose of facilitating the design and construction of a Lunar Research and Development Park (LRDP) with prototype Moon base facilities in simulated lunar-like environments to facilitate the development, testing and validation of lunar robotics, renewable energy, in-situ resource utilization, and other innovative technologies and procedures, as well as astronaut training, that could both enable and support a sustainable human settlement on Earth’s Moon; and
WHEREAS, the LRDP will be designed to enable scientists, engineers, and astronauts from spacefaring nations worldwide to engage in the evolution and utilization of this multinational space initiative; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii and NASA have been conducting long-term (four, eight, and twelve month) crew testing for Mars missions in the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) facility on Mauna Loa for the past five years; and
WHEREAS, the IMA has now assumed operation of this facility to support the proposed LRDP and commenced short-term (2 to 28 day) crew testing for future Moon missions;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Aerospace States Association (ASA) hereby recognizes and commends the development of a Lunar Research & Development Park with the goal to establish a prototype Moon base facility in a simulated lunar-like environment in order to facilitate the development, testing and validation of lunar robotics, renewable energy, in-situ resource utilization, and other innovative technologies and procedures, as well as astronaut training, that could both enable and support a sustainable human settlement on Earth’s Moon and beyond.
COMMENDING THE FOUNDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL MOONBASE ALLIANCE AND VISION FOR ESTABLISHING A LUNAR R&D PARK IN HAWAII
WHEREAS, during the years subsequent to the Apollo Moon landings, human space missions to low-earth orbit (LEO) and robotic missions beyond have accelerated both public and private interest worldwide in future human missions to the Moon, increasing the need for both astronaut training and simulated in-space and remote-surface testbeds and habitat environments; and
WHEREAS, A near-equatorial location and Moon/Mars-like terrain afford key assets and capabilities that can be leveraged to advance both robotic and human exploration and development of space – both on and around the Moon and other remote planetary bodies; and
WHEREAS, for the past decade, Hawaii’s Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES), having evolved robust capabilities to support the development of new robotic and remote-surface-based technologies, as well as human remote surface operations processes, has been supported by the State of Hawaii through Legislative funding, by NASA through Space Act Agreements, and by NASA as well as other international space agencies and commercial organizations through technology-related grants and in-kind support; and
WHEREAS, the International MoonBase Alliance (IMA) was formed in October of 2017 with the purpose of facilitating the design and construction of a Lunar Research and Development Park (LRDP) with prototype Moon base facilities in simulated lunar-like environments to facilitate the development, testing and validation of lunar robotics, renewable energy, in-situ resource utilization, and other innovative technologies and procedures, as well as astronaut training, that could both enable and support a sustainable human settlement on Earth’s Moon; and
WHEREAS, the LRDP will be designed to enable scientists, engineers, and astronauts from spacefaring nations worldwide to engage in the evolution and utilization of this multinational space initiative; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii and NASA have been conducting long-term (four, eight, and twelve month) crew testing for Mars missions in the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) facility on Mauna Loa for the past five years; and
WHEREAS, the IMA has now assumed operation of this facility to support the proposed LRDP and commenced short-term (2 to 28 day) crew testing for future Moon missions;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Aerospace States Association (ASA) hereby recognizes and commends the development of a Lunar Research & Development Park with the goal to establish a prototype Moon base facility in a simulated lunar-like environment in order to facilitate the development, testing and validation of lunar robotics, renewable energy, in-situ resource utilization, and other innovative technologies and procedures, as well as astronaut training, that could both enable and support a sustainable human settlement on Earth’s Moon and beyond.