Astroport Technologies Inc.’s latest overseas expansion expands its lunar construction capabilities. Astroport recently announced the launch of its newest subsidiary, Astroport Europe, in collaboration with InterFlight Global Europe (IFG), at the European Space Resources Week (ESRW) held at the LuxExpo Box in Luxembourg from April 19-21. Astroport Europe will concentrate on the development of lunar construction and operations technologies required to support the company’s goals of deploying lunar surface infrastructure assets such as roads and landing pads in support of NASA’s Artemis programme and commercial mining missions, as well as establishing a permanent presence on the Moon.
The Artemis programme at NASA aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2024, paving the way for human missions to Mars. Several founding member countries, including the United States, have signed the Artemis Accords, which govern space exploration cooperation in the twenty-first century. Astroport is an important partner in the Artemis programme, and it has a contract with NASA to develop autonomous robots that will excavate the moon’s topsoil, known as regolith, to create bricks for landing pads and a lunar base.
Astroport’s collaboration with IFG is critical to the company’s expansion into Luxembourg. Astroport CEO and founder John Ximenes also stated that the company is bringing the WEX Foundation curriculum to Luxembourg in order to create a pipeline of engineers and scientists. Astroport wants to become a part of the Luxembourg community as well as expand its business there. According to Ximenes, when a company comes to a location and establishes itself, it becomes a part of the community.
Astroport Europe is still in its early stages and is currently only an office. However, the company is nearing the end of its hiring season for its engineering team. The number of hires will be determined by the contracts secured by Astroport Europe. Ximenes revealed that Astroport is currently collaborating with two Luxembourg companies to help with its technologies and architecture.
Astroport Space Technologies Inc. was founded in 2020 as a technology venture arm and subsidiary of Exploration Architecture Corporation (XArc), which was also founded by Ximenes. The vision of the company is to become the leading space construction and infrastructure company, providing critical technology, services, and solutions for a permanent presence on the moon and beyond.
According to Ximenes, the goal is not to have a single country or company build the lunar base. Instead, it is a daunting task that necessitates a global effort. The company’s expansion into Europe and the Artemis programme are important steps toward achieving this goal. Astroport is dedicated to collaborating with partners worldwide to make space exploration and lunar infrastructure a reality.
Finally, Astroport Technologies Inc.’s recent expansion into Europe via its subsidiary, Astroport Europe, represents an important step forward in the company’s vision to become the leading space construction and infrastructure company. Astroport’s collaboration with IFG, as well as its contract with NASA to develop autonomous robots for lunar construction, are critical components in achieving the company’s objectives. The company’s commitment to creating a pipeline of engineers and scientists in Luxembourg through the WEX Foundation curriculum demonstrates its commitment to becoming a part of the community. Astroport’s expansion into Europe and participation in the Artemis programme demonstrate the company’s commitment to collaborating with partners all over the world to make space exploration and lunar infrastructure a reality.
