LONDON, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Humans could be living on the Moon within 20 years but European experts say whether science fiction becomes reality depends on the world's politicians.
Bernard Foing, the project scientist for Europe's Smart-1 moon mission, told the BBC establishment of a moon colony is technologically possible. But Foing says most important is the political will to establish a human base for preparing for colonization of the Moon or to be used as a refuge for the human species.
The unmanned Smart-1 spacecraft is scheduled to lift off next month to demonstrate Europe has the technology for future deep space science missions.
The Smart-1 rocket has as its main form of propulsion an ion engine powered by solar-electrical means, rather than conventional chemical fuel. It will make an x-ray map of the moon after its 15-month voyage.
Sarah Dunkin, a British scientist on the Smart-1 project, told the BBC: "To actually live on another world would be quite a test of technology, as well as human physiology. We don't know what the long-term effects of living in a low gravity environment would be."
