NASA Seeks Companies to Mine Resources on the Moon
2020-09-17
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1The United States is offering to pay private companies to mine rocks and other resources on the moon.
2The U.S. space agency NASA published an official government listing for the mining proposal on September 10.
3NASA officials are asking interested companies to collect rocks, soil and other objects from the surface of the moon.
4The lunar materials would then be sold to the space agency.
5NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine says the project was created "for the purpose of demonstrating" that mined resources can be collected.
6He spoke at a conference organized by the Secure World Foundation, a space policy organization.
7The proposals would not involve private companies sending workers to the moon.
8Instead, NASA wants the businesses to provide robots to be launched into space by the space agency or private companies.
9NASA has asked companies from around the world to present proposals to collect 50 to 500 grams of lunar material from anywhere on the moon's surface.
10The companies will be required to provide images showing how the material is collected.
11In a statement published on a NASA website, Bridenstine said the agency's goal is to gain control of the collected materials "before 2024."
12He added that officials would decide later how and when the materials could be transported from the moon.
13Proposals are not limited to American companies and NASA "may make one or more awards," he said.
14Bridenstein repeated NASA's goal of landing the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024 as part of the space agency's Artemis program.
15NASA also has set a goal of setting up a long-term base on the moon by 2028.
16From there, it hopes to launch a series of space operations, including possible flights to Mars.
17Last May, NASA released the main ideas for what is being called the Artemis Accords.
18It hopes the ideas can lead to an international agreement on how people will live and work on the moon in the future.
19Such an agreement could give companies rights to own the moon resources they mine.
20For example, businesses doing work for NASA could use the moon's water ice to produce rocket fuel or mine lunar minerals for other purposes.
21Bridenstine said the agency's plans are permitted under the 1967 "Outer Space Treaty," which governs international space exploration.
22The treaty states that outer space - including the moon and other celestial bodies - "shall be free for exploration and use by all states."
23The agreement bars any single nation from claiming ownership of such objects.
24NASA's plan to send robots to mine resources is meant to "fuel a new era of exploration and discovery" and help all of humanity, Bridenstine said.
25The space agency said it will consider the mined resources the property of the companies until they are sold to NASA.
26Then, the materials would become "the sole property of NASA."
27"They are paying the company to sell them a rock that the company owns. That's the product," said Joanne Gabrynowicz, former chief editor of The Journal of Space Law.
28She spoke to Reuters news agency.
29She added that, "A company has to decide for itself if it's worth taking the financial and technological risk to do this to sell a rock."
30I'm Bryan Lynn.
1The United States is offering to pay private companies to mine rocks and other resources on the moon. 2The U.S. space agency NASA published an official government listing for the mining proposal on September 10. NASA officials are asking interested companies to collect rocks, soil and other objects from the surface of the moon. The lunar materials would then be sold to the space agency. 3NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine says the project was created "for the purpose of demonstrating" that mined resources can be collected. He spoke at a conference organized by the Secure World Foundation, a space policy organization. 4The proposals would not involve private companies sending workers to the moon. Instead, NASA wants the businesses to provide robots to be launched into space by the space agency or private companies. 5NASA has asked companies from around the world to present proposals to collect 50 to 500 grams of lunar material from anywhere on the moon's surface. The companies will be required to provide images showing how the material is collected. 6In a statement published on a NASA website, Bridenstine said the agency's goal is to gain control of the collected materials "before 2024." He added that officials would decide later how and when the materials could be transported from the moon. 7Proposals are not limited to American companies and NASA "may make one or more awards," he said. 8Bridenstein repeated NASA's goal of landing the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024 as part of the space agency's Artemis program. NASA also has set a goal of setting up a long-term base on the moon by 2028. From there, it hopes to launch a series of space operations, including possible flights to Mars. 9Last May, NASA released the main ideas for what is being called the Artemis Accords. It hopes the ideas can lead to an international agreement on how people will live and work on the moon in the future. Such an agreement could give companies rights to own the moon resources they mine. For example, businesses doing work for NASA could use the moon's water ice to produce rocket fuel or mine lunar minerals for other purposes. 10Bridenstine said the agency's plans are permitted under the 1967 "Outer Space Treaty," which governs international space exploration. The treaty states that outer space - including the moon and other celestial bodies - "shall be free for exploration and use by all states." The agreement bars any single nation from claiming ownership of such objects. 11NASA's plan to send robots to mine resources is meant to "fuel a new era of exploration and discovery" and help all of humanity, Bridenstine said. 12The space agency said it will consider the mined resources the property of the companies until they are sold to NASA. Then, the materials would become "the sole property of NASA." 13"They are paying the company to sell them a rock that the company owns. That's the product," said Joanne Gabrynowicz, former chief editor of The Journal of Space Law. 14She spoke to Reuters news agency. She added that, "A company has to decide for itself if it's worth taking the financial and technological risk to do this to sell a rock." 15I'm Bryan Lynn. 16Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse and NASA. George Grow was the editor. 17We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 18_______________________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20celestial body - n. an object located outside of Earth's atmosphere, such as the moon, stars or other planets 21era - n. a long time or period of history 22sole - adj. only