Italy has committed more than $5 billion to the Multi-Purpose Habitat, a 15-tonne, 6-metre pressurised module built by Thales Alenia Space for NASA’s Moon base, in exchange for two seats for Italian astronauts on future landings. The module passed its requirements review in May and targets a 2033 launch. Our take: this is the most direct path any European country has found to put its own citizens on the Moon.
$5 mld+Italian commitment
2seats for Italian astronauts
15 thabitat mass