UK and US pledge space cooperation

and the

(BNSC) recently signed an agreement to jointly study how the two space agencies might work together on future planetary explorations to the Moon and beyond.

A joint team is to be established to conduct a study into the possibility of a collaborative lunar robotic programme.

Science and Innovation Minister Malcolm Wicks said: ‘During my recent meeting with NASA's Administrator Dr Michael Griffin, I was keen for the USA and UK to co-operate on exactly this sort of exciting endeavour.

‘I am delighted that this important agreement has been signed between our two space agencies which could provide an opportunity to harness the UK's world-class expertise in small satellite and robotic technologies.’

The UK has already completed a feasibility study of two robotic mission options to the surface of the Moon: MoonRaker, a small propulsive Lander to provide in-situ geological dating; and MoonLITE which is equipped with missile-shaped penetrators carrying seismometers to investigate the lunar interior and a telecommunications capability to demonstrate high data rate telecoms at the Moon.