2021 Global Lunar Research Agenda

The Moon Dialogs kicked off off a suite of activities planned for 2021, focusing on everything from lunar exploration, commercialization, and security & sustainability. Moderated by the Moon Dialogs conveners, the group announced their research agenda for this year.

The three themes announced for 2021 represent timely issues which the lunar community is discussing actively, and issues where 2021 could be a watershed year for how the policy views are formulated on each:

• THEME 1: ACCESSIBLE MOON

  Exploring strategies to assure lunar activities draw upon the diversity of humanity to build a human presence on the Moon and beyond.
  LEADING CONVENOR: Mehak Sarang & the MIT Space Exploration Initiative

• THEME 2: PEACEFUL MOON

  Analysing stakeholder motivations, responsibilities and relationships and how they pertain to and affect lunar governance and, in particular, security.
  LEADING CONVENOR: Chris Johnson & the Secure World Foundation

• THEME 3: SUSTAINABLE MOON

  Examining models for resource management and infrastructure development to support a vibrant human presence on the Moon and in space.
  LEADING CONVENOR: Jessy Kate Schingler & the Open Lunar Foundation

ABOUT THIS SERIES 

The Moon Dialogs salons seek to cultivate thought leadership on lunar surface coordination mechanisms to accelerate peaceful and sustained presence on the Moon. We host monthly research salons on salient topics every full Moon. The Moon Dialogs is a partnership focused on governance and coordination mechanisms, convened by organizations and participating researchers exploring voluntary, multilateral mechanisms, norms, and economic arrangements that aim to grow ecosystems of lunar activity--both governmental and non-governmental. The project is a collaboration between Open Lunar Foundation, Secure World Foundation, the MIT Space Exploration Initiative, Arizona State University, and For All Moonkind. The Dialogs bring stakeholders to the table on equal footing, with an emphasis on practical tools, operating models, and rights frameworks for the next 10 years. It is not a consensus forum, but a place to put forward ideas which will accelerate short term activity and support bold plans for sustained presence. If you would like to propose a topic or a speaker for our next salon, please contact jessykate@openlunar.org.