Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 25, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency will develop a lunar outpost as part of NASA's Artemis program, launching in 2033 from Kennedy Space Center.
(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)
The lunar outpost is intended to serve as a testing ground for future missions to Mars, as part of the NASA-led Artemis project.
Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency are collaborating on the development of the lunar outpost, along with other Italian industries.
The module will provide a secure, comfortable, and multifunctional habitat for astronauts, and will also be capable of conducting scientific research even when uncrewed.
The lunar module is designed for a minimum lifespan of 10 years, focusing on technologies that can withstand the moon's harsh environmental conditions.
The project represents a long-term investment vision for Italy, allowing the country to play a leading role in the new space race.
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