Thales Alenia Space and Italian Space Agency to develop first human outpost on the moon

(Reuters) -Aerospace group Thales Alenia Space (TAS) and Italian Space Agency ASI said on Friday they have signed a contract to develop the first human lunar outpost, an important step in the NASA-led Artemis moon exploration programme.

The Artemis project views the lunar surface as a testing ground for later missions to Mars. It has grown into a multi-nation effort involving dozens of private companies - among them Elon Musk's SpaceX - at the forefront of an emerging global space race.

TAS - a joint venture between French aerospace company Thales and Italy's Leonardo - said the so-called Multi-Purpose Habitation module, a crucial element for a future permanent human presence on the moon, will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 2033.

"The future lunar module is part of a long-term investment vision that Italy has implemented, enabling (the country) to play an increasingly leading role in the new space race," ASI President Teodoro Valente said in a statement.

The module will deliver "a secure, comfortable and multifunctional habitat module for astronauts, fully compatible with other systems and components", the statement added.

Even when a human crew is not present, the module will be able to conduct scientific research experiments and have the capability to move on the moon's surface.

It will be designed for a minimum lifespan of 10 years, with the first development phase focusing on technologies that will be subjected to the moon's harsh environmental conditions, high radiation levels, reduced gravity and pervasive dust.

Under the two-year agreement, TAS will be the prime contractor, working with aerospace logistics and technology group ALTEC, which it owns with ASI, as well as other Italian industries.

(Reporting by Alessandro Parodi, additional reporting by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Matt Scuffham and Joe Bavier)