The Italian Space Agency has awarded Thales Alenia Space a contract for the preliminary design of its Multi-Purpose Habitat, which will serve as a base for astronauts on the lunar surface. The 25 July announcement included a proposed launch date of 2033.
In late 2020, ASI and NASA signed a joint statement of intent to cooperate on the development of crew habitation capabilities on the surface of the Moon as part of the Artemis programme. This was followed by the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement in June 2022, which assigned ASI the responsibility for conducting the preliminary design of the Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module.
The MPH module will measure three metres in width and six metres in length, with a mass of approximately 15 tonnes. It will be equipped with wheels to allow precise positioning, enabling support for crewed missions at various locations on the lunar surface. The module will accommodate two astronauts for one mission per year, with each mission lasting between 7 and 30 days. In emergencies, it will also be capable of supporting larger crews for shorter durations. Once deployed on the Moon, the MPH module is expected to have an operational lifespan of around ten years.
In July 2024, MPH prime contractor Thales Alenia Space announced that the project had passed an initial mission definition review. On 18 September, a NASA Mission Concept Review Board concluded that the module’s design met the necessary criteria for the agency’s Artemis programme and approved the next phase of its development.
On 25 July, ASI announced that it had awarded a new contract to Thales Alenia Space Italia for the preliminary design phase of the MPH module. This phase of the project will include the development of critical enabling technologies that will allow the module to withstand the harsh lunar environment while protecting its occupants from radiation and micrometeoroid impacts.
“The future lunar module, the result of the historic relationship between NASA and ASI, is part of a long-term investment vision that Italy has implemented, enabling us to play an increasingly leading role in the new space race and, moreover, to be a fundamental part of the Moon to Mars Strategy of NASA’s Artemis program,” said ASI President Teodoro Valente.
The preliminary design phase is expected to last approximately two years. Thales Alenia Space Italia will lead this phase in collaboration with Altec, a joint venture between Thales Alenia Space and ASI, as well as other Italian industrial partners.
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