La NASA è alla ricerca di compagnie private che raccolgano polvere e rocce lunari e le vendano alla stessa Agenzia spaziale americana. L'iniziativa, senza precedenti, rientra in un programma più ampio di sviluppo tecnologico, che prevede di riportare l'uomo (o la donna) sulla Luna entro il 2024, in vista di una futura missione su Marte.
"La NASA acquista suolo lunare da fornitori commerciali!", ha twittato l'amministratore Jim Bridenstine. Grazie alla presenza di elementi come l'idrogeno e l'ossigeno, la Luna potrebbe diventare una sorta di stazione spaziale fissa dove produrre carburante e rifornire i razzi.
Gli Stati Uniti puntano a diventare leader nell'utilizzo delle risorse spaziali, a cominciare da quelle minerarie della Luna e degli asteroidi. Una politica incoraggiata da un decreto di aprile del presidente Donald Trump, nonostante la mancanza di un quadro giuridico internazionale chiaro sulla gestione e sulla divisione delle risorse extraterrestri.
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