THE UK Space Agency could play a part in landing the first woman on the moon.

NASA is leading a mission to achieve the feat by 2024 and has partnered with the Swindon-based agency. It is seen as a huge stepping stone towards getting a human to Mars.

The Artemis Accords programme is an international agreement which aims to make the journey into space sustainable.

Businesses across the UK will help build the service and habitation modules of the Lunar Gateway – a new space station orbiting the moon – which could benefit the economy and create new high-skilled jobs.

More than £16 million has been put towards the first phase of the design of these elements by the UK.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: “The prospect of the first woman landing on the Moon in the coming years will be a source of inspiration for thousands of young people across the UK who may be considering a career in space or science.

“Today’s historic agreement, backed by £16 million of UK funding, underlines our commitment to strengthening the UK’s role in the global space sector, building on our existing strengths in satellites, robotics and communications to grow our economy and improve life on Earth.”

Other spacefaring nations including Japan, Australia, Canada, Italy and the UAE are working with the UK and US to develop the Artemis Accords.

UK Space Agency CEO Graham Turnock, who signed the Artemis Accords during a virtual ceremony at the International Astronautical Congress, said: “Signing the Accords is a strong signal of our intent to take a leading global role in civil space. We hope to deepen our relationship with the US when it comes to space and enhance the UK’s global influence in the space sector.

“This exciting step could open up new opportunities for UK companies and scientists to be part of NASA missions to the Moon and Mars.”

Artemis is not only to explore space but to build peaceful relationships between nations, one of its requirements is that all activities will be conducted for peaceful purposes, in line with the Outer Space Treaty.

Transporting resources into space is expensive, a key goal of future missions will be the ability to extract and use resources from the Moon, asteroids or Mars. 

The UK Space Agency has worked with international partners to ensure they are clear that any such resource extraction in space should be carried out in a manner that complies with the Outer Space Treaty.

James Cleverly, Minister for Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said: “By signing the Artemis Accords, the UK is joining international partners to agree a common set of principles which will guide space exploration for years to come. This ground-breaking agreement will guide how states should operate in space, as envisaged in the Outer Space Treaty.

“The UK is at the forefront of international collaboration to explore and preserve outer space for future generations. We’re committed to keeping space – and the crucial space systems upon which our societies depend – safe and secure, by launching a landmark UN resolution to agree responsible behaviour for operating in space.”