On Friday, March 2nd 2018, the Moon Village Association (MVA) presented its plans to the Industry Day of the second International Space Exploration Forum (ISEF2), organized by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The MVA, the only independent international, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) invited by JAXA to participate in the ISEF2 industry day side-event, spoke during a panel addressing “Prospects of Space Exploration & Other Industries”. The MVA also participated on March 4th at the University of Tokyo in a major International workshop on “Space Law and Policy Strategies for Building Moon Bases and Exploiting Space Natural Resources”. ISEF2 was a gathering of high-level representatives from many governments (Japan, the USA, European Countries, Canada, and others) to discuss how space exploration can expand the horizons of humanity and challenge all of us to gain and share the knowledge, experiences and benefits as common assets for all humankind. About 400 participants from the private sector, including individuals from space and other industries, investment agencies and entrepreneurs were present at the ISEF2 Industry day.
The objective was to present the values and challenges of space exploration businesses from the standpoint of non-industrial companies and non-state actors, with the possibility of collaborating between space exploration enterprises.
Mr. Mankins, Vice-President of the Moon Village Association, highlighted during the ISEF2 and University of Tokyo workshop a number of the Association’s recent successes, including notably that since November 2017, 150 Individual members from 34 countries have joined the Association and since the January 1, 2018 a total of 6 new Institutional members have joined, namely: Ispace, Team Indus, Yuzhnoye, Lokcheed Martin, OffWorld and Cislunar Industries.
He also indicated how to join the Association and its several focused Working Groups involving a comprehensive portfolio of companies, government representatives, space agencies, but also non-space industries, start-ups, organizations and the public-at-large.
Mr. Mankins took the opportunity to mention that the MVA is expanding across the world and that the Association is organizing dedicated events such as global or regional workshops. National coordinators have been appointed in each country, including: Italy, China, Africa, Hungary, Cyprus, South America, Australia, Japan, and Russia, with a significant increase in activity during the last six months in these regions. He highlighted especially one cornerstone of the MVA: the so-called “Moon Market”. The “Moon Market” brings together a wide variety of actors in a single platform in order to communicate and coordinate concerning lunar activities. The MVA members’ database is accessible to members only and creates both, opportunities for businesses and a network-community.
Vice-President of the MVA, John Mankins: “I want to thank the organizers for inviting the Association to ISEF2. I am sure that the MVA will contribute to the combination of diverse players’ competencies — enabling creation of resilient new projects in the near future. Today, lunar-focused activities are already global; the presence of the MVA at the ISEF2 industry day side event underscores the Association’s commitment to the spirit of international cooperation in space exploration, science and future commercial opportunities as we go back to the Moon.”
It is expected that the MVA will formalize other partnerships in the appropriate framework and build global cooperation in the coming year.
The MVA will participate to the UNISPACE+50 in Vienna, a special segment of the 61st session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) from the 20 to 21 June 2018. UNISPACE+50 will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
The Moon Village Association
The Moon Village Association (MVA) was created in 2017 as non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Vienna. Its goal is the creation of a permanent global informal forum for stakeholders like governments, industry, academia and the general public interested in the development of the Moon Village. The MVA fosters cooperation for existing or planned moon exploration programs, be they public or private initiatives. It comprises approximately 150 members from more than 34 countries, representing a diverse array of technical, scientific, cultural and interdisciplinary fields.
The MVA partners with non-space organizations to promote international discussions and formulation of plans to foster the development of the Moon Village and is creating international, national and regional networks to engage civil society around the world. For information on how to become involved in realizing the Moon Village for the benefit of humanity, please visit: www.moonvillageassociation.org.