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International Missions to the Moon: Space Exploration Goals, Programs and Economics

The Moon is soon to become an active space exploration destination. It is viewed as the necessary step for sustained robotic and human exploration of the solar system. The United States is embarked on the Moon exploration as part of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) mandate to extend human presence in Moon, Mars and beyond. The Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP) is a sequence of missions currently in progress intended to meet the objectives which enable a successful human return to the Moon in 2015-2020. The European Space Agency (ESA) is nearing completion of its SMART-1 orbiter mission to the Moon and the Aurora Space Exploration Program, the European framework for space exploration has identified Moon as an important stepping stone for broader robotic and human exploration of the solar system. Russia is planning a new “Luna-Glob” mission as part of its formal space plan conceived with a view to understand the origin of the EarthMoon system. Emerging space powers, Japan, China and India are all preparing independent Lunar orbiter missions as a necessary step in their quest for implementing sustainable deep space missions. This paper is a study in understan ding the overall space exploration policy goals, programs being implemented to achieve these goals and their science objectives and the space economics involved. The international cooperation among the space faring nations in their lunar exploration programs is also outlined.