Lunar Mission One

Read some of endorsements from around the globe...

 

Dr Alan Finkel, Australia's Chief Scientist
“This project can transform the way we bring space exploration into our lives, from education to industry, from individual to Government.”

Professor Clive Neal, Planetary Geologist, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, USA
“The Moon has enormous potential for aiding human expansion into the Solar System. Lunar Mission One is attempting to bring our nearest celestial neighbour within reach of everyone, and uniquely demonstrates that non-governmental missions are an important part of the international effort to return to the Moon.”

Professor Kazuya Yoshida, Technology Leader of GLXP Team Hakuto, Head of Space Robotics, Tohoku University, Japan
“Lunar Mission One will help to take lunar exploration to a new stage. Its robotics technology is part of our human endeavour to reach out where we have not reached before. We in Japan want to be part of this.”

Mazlan Othman, former Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

“I first heard about Lunar Mission One when I was at the UN and liked it immediately. It has huge international potential, bringing space exploration involvement to the non-space nations, with its benefits for education, science and technology. Lunar Mission One can inspire across cultures, religions, and levels of wealth.”

“Lunar Mission One is undoubtedly a most incredible way to connect schoolchildren directly with humankind’s greatest adventure, the exploration of space, through the public creation of a comprehensive description of Life on Earth for education and research, in conjunction with the development of the knowledge and methods required to explore our Moon and the planets beyond. The children we teach now may be the space scientists and engineers of the future.”

“This is not fantasy or science fiction. The project has already raised a considerable sum of money towards its goal and is backed by professional space exploration organisations, universities and the public.”

Dan Tani, former NASA astronaut, 100th spacewalk on the ISS
"International public interest and support for Lunar Mission One has been huge and I share the same enthusiasm for being part of something innovative and ambitious which can positively challenge the way we explore space. We can learn a lot more from moon exploration, but another objective of the project is to understand the potential of a permanently manned lunar base which will form a crucial next step in helping us explore further - especially Mars."

Gregory Chamitoff, former NASA astronaut, Professor in Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University
“This is a very exciting mission!!”

Professor Brian Cox, CERN
“For me the exciting thing about Lunar Mission One is that everyone can play a part directly in the funding, they can know that they have given this money, and that money is going to go into the technology which is going to land on the Moon and do the science.” 

Professor Stephen Hawking, Theoretical Physicist, University of Cambridge
“Lunar Mission One is bringing space exploration to us all. It is a truly exciting scientific endeavour – one that will give us new insights into the ancient history of the Moon, and understand better its relationship with our own planet. For children, young people and adults alike, there are few things more capable of inspiring wonder than the mysteries of space. Lunar Mission One has the potential to rekindle our wonder about our closest neighbour, the Moon, which still holds so many secrets. This Mission dares to remind us that some of the most interesting questions yet to be answered about space, can actually be answered this close to home. And it makes us wonder about our own place in time, as part of the history and future of the Universe.” 

Dame Julia Higgins, Professor of Polymer Science in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College London
“Recent spacecraft flying around the Moon have indicated its geology, but Lunar Mission One will discover directly the chemical composition at depth to confirm what lies beneath the surface. It is exciting to think that future space projects such as this might be funded directly by us, the public, rather than indirectly through taxation. Widespread involvement in funding space exploration and the interest in science this generates will help to encourage young people into studying science and thus provide the future generations of scientists and engineers the world needs for the many global challenges we face - including future astronauts.”

Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, Fellow of Trinity College, University of Cambridge and Past President of the Royal Society
"The project is plainly ambitious and challenging, but its special cultural and scientific features should generate wide interest and support. It deserves to succeed."

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Space Scientist and Science Communicator
“Lunar Mission One is going to be one of the iconic milestones in space history, not just because of its scientific endeavours but also because of its novel means of finance. I spend much of my time engaging children with the wonders of space and celebrating our achievements to date. What I love about this project is that kids can be part of the mission themselves. This gives them a vested interest in the project and I see this as very empowering. Space really is for everyone.”

Jim Al-Khalili, Professor of Physics, University of Surrey
“For me Lunar Mission One is much more than the next big space mission, it really is an opportunity for everyone to be involved in humanity’s next great adventure. There is still so much about the Moon that we don’t understand; we feel we know it when we look up into the night sky, but I think after this mission we will look at the Moon in a very different light.”

Ian Taylor, the former Minister for Science, Technology & Space and Chair of Lunar Missions Ltd
“Scientific exploration has always been based on innovation and ambition. Lunar Mission One exemplifies this – not only in what it will seek to discover, but in reaching out to the wider public for involvement in and financing the project. Ultimately, Lunar Mission One could become an exciting template for galvanising additional resources to explore the Moon and beyond.”

Professor John Zarnecki, Emeritus Professor of Space Science, The Open University
“For me, Lunar Mission One is exhilarating because it’s a new way of doing things: it’s not a mission created by a space agency, but by the people for the people. It creates a fantastic opportunity for everybody to be involved in a mission to the moon, which will not only answer some of the most important scientific questions about the origins of our solar system, but inspire generations to literally ‘reach for the stars’ and be part of the future of space exploration.”

Adam Afriyie MP, Chair of the UK Parliamentary Space Committee
“Lunar Mission One is visionary project that has huge potential. Not only can it keep Britain at the forefront of the global space industry, but it also has a huge potential to engage people of all ages in the fascinating world of space technology and innovation. The UK space industry has consistently delivered jobs and economic growth and this mission will help raise awareness of the space sector’s huge contribution to GDP, research, materials science, communications, satellite navigation and earth monitoring systems.”

Iain Gilmour, Associate Dean of Science for External Affairs at Open University
"Lunar Mission One is a remarkable opportunity for millions of people worldwide to take part in space exploration. The Open University is excited to be part of this innovative project and to support its ambitious scientific and educational goals"

Andy Green, President UK Space and Co-Chair Space Leadership Council
“Lunar Mission One has the ability to engage with a generation of young people and excite them about the possibilities of science and the future.”

Professor Ian Crawford, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London
"Lunar Mission One will be the first mission to land and drill at a lunar pole. This is a brilliant idea and is tremendously exciting, because up until now we have not explored the lunar polar regions. In addition, all previous lunar missions have literally just scratched the surface and by drilling we will unlock billions of years of geological history related to the origin and evolution of the Earth-Moon system."

Professor Chris Welch, International Space University, Strasbourg, France
"Lunar Mission One combines cutting edge science and engineering with inspirational space education and outreach through independent innovation and global participation in space exploration. The International Space University exists to promote the exploration and development of space for all humanity - we are extremely pleased to support both the vision and the mission itself."

Anu Ojha, Director, National Space Academy
“Lunar Mission One is a bold mission concept that has the potential to not only inspire a new generation of young people, but more importantly to support and develop their skills in the areas of science, engineering and mathematics that are the foundations for future economic growth and prosperity. The National Space Academy programme supports the concept and is looking forward to helping develop the education programme to its full potential.”

Michael Reiss, Professor of Science education, Institute of Education, University of London, UK
"Lunar Mission One is an audacious and exciting concept. It has the potential to inspire this and the next generation of learners about science and engineering in general and space exploration in particular."

Professor Alan Smith, Head of the Department of Space and Climate Physics, UCL
“Lunar Mission One is a brilliant project which deserves to succeed. Forty years after the Apollo Lunar programme, many important questions remain unanswered: the origin of the Moon, its internal structure and most importantly the profound influence the Moon had on the origin of life on Earth. Lunar Mission One will finally allow us to get below the surface of the Moon and answer some of these very important questions.”

Roger Nickells, Chief Executive Officer, BuroHappold Engineering
“Lunar Mission One is a project which combines curiosity, collaboration and a desire to never stop exploring: all of the key attributes of an exceptional engineer. BuroHappold Engineering is a practice founded on a pioneering spirit, and we are excited to be involved in Lunar Mission One and bring the leadership required to balance ambition alongside risk whilst simultaneously inspiring a new generation to think again about engineering.”

Alistair Scott, President of the British Interplanetary Society
“The British Interplanetary Society is excited to be part of this ambitions new project. Lunar Mission One represents a huge leap forward in our understanding of the universe and will turn imagination into reality for millions of people who have always dreamed of space exploration, by giving them the opportunity to support and be part of this amazing mission right from the start.”

Professor Peter McOwan, VP Public Engagement, Queen Mary University of London
“Lunar Mission One is a bold adventure that everyone can be involved in. Not only will it bring significant advances in our understanding of science, engineering and technology, but it will inspire learners everywhere to explore these subjects, fire the imagination and help build the human race's next generation of off world adventurers.”

Steve Lewis, CEO & Founder of Living PlanIT and member of the UK Ministerial Smart Cities Forum
“We applaud the ambition of the Lunar Mission One project and with it the potential for significantly advancing innovation in remote sensing, control, complex analytics and machine learning. This is an audacious project to which we offer our enthusiastic support."

Christina Astin, Young Scientists Journal
“I’ve never yet met a young person who was not curious about space. Where are we in the Universe? Will the Earth exist forever? What else is out there? A new mission into space is immensely exciting. Lunar Mission One offers a spectacular opportunity to bring young people together across the planet to collaborate and communicate together, not just as observers but as active participants, driving the science behind the mission and learning new skills along the way.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester
“This astonishing project embraces so many aspects of our life on Earth, and I can see real practical benefits for science and engineering.”

Dr Martin Killeen, Head Of Technology, Loughborough College
"The space industry is a growing sector with exciting outcomes. The Lunar Mission One project will support our work in sparking the imagination of young learners by identifying the range of jobs in space engineering. It will also support the specific space engineering courses and apprenticeships that enable entry into the industry."

Rosie Keedy, Head Teacher, Polesden Lacey Infant School, United Kingdom
"At Polesden Lacey Infant School we have long held the belief that children learn best when they are excited about the topic. We have found the topic of Space develops enthusiasm for learning across the curriculum from creative writing, data handling, design and technology, history and geography to scientific investigations. It is also a fabulous subject to inspire awe and wonder. This approach is hardly rocket science! Young children are bursting with eagerness. We have a responsibility to nurture this and learning about space through Lunar Mission One will be a hugely inspirational part of their learning"

Jon Kudlick, Director of Membership, Marketing & Communications at Society of Biology
"It is great to be supporting such a unique and multi-faceted project, with the exciting possibilities of new lunar discoveries, creating an archive of human existence, and by its very ambition, having the huge potential to inspire the current and future generations to 'do' science!"

Professor Graham Woan, University of Glasgow's School of Physics and Astronomy
“Lunar Mission One is an exciting project with lots of potential for broadening our understanding of the Universe, in addition to its primary mission of preserving samples below the Moon's surface. Equipment carried on the lander will help us learn more about the Moon's electromagnetic environment and its potential as a site for a new type of radio astronomy, and we're delighted to help make this a reality."

Andy Bowyer, Director, Magna Parva
“Magna Parva supports any project that can actively encourage the next generation of Engineers. Lunar Mission One and its unique funding method presents a significant opportunity for an incredibly wide, positive education impact across all STEM disciplines.”

Richard Garriott, Private British-American Astronaut, Soyuz TMA 13
“The Moon is our nearest celestial neighbor, yet remains largely unknown beyond great orbital photographs and a few rocks from the surface. Lunar Mission One aims to profoundly change this! By targeting the polar regions now known to have water ice, and by drilling down more than 20 meters, we should gain much more interesting and useful data than previous lunar missions!”

Professor Douglas Paul, director of the University of Glasgow's James Watt Nanofabrication Centre
"We've offered our support to advise on the best method of storing written information in nanoscale script on materials such as silicon or diamond, which are robust enough to endure over the millions of years supporters' samples will be held on the moon. We've already had great success in nanoscale publishing and we're excited to have the opportunity of lending our expertise to Lunar Mission One."

Kathy Ashford, Effingham Learning Partnership Manager
“The eleven schools of the Effingham Learning Partnership are delighted to offer their support to Lunar Mission One. We were privileged to be involved in the earlier stages of the project, and are now very excited to witness its launch on the international stage. Lunar Mission One offers unparalleled scope for curriculum enrichment across the board, from science and technology to geology, philosophy, communications and the creative arts. This project will inspire children of all ages to think, challenge, explore and create in a way that is truly awe-inspiring.”

David Suchet C.B.E.
“Lunar Mission One is a staggeringly exciting project. The moon seems so close to us on Earth and yet it is so far away. Lunar Mission One will land there and leave our DNA there and explore in great detail the surface and depths of this planet that effects all our lives. Now that is really exciting!”