Exactly 50 years after the first man walked on the surface of the Moon, humanity stands on the brink of making another giant leap into the future. Lembit Öpik, the Chairman of Parliament for the space nation Asgardia, is certain humanity will soon become a spacefaring species. Speaking to Express.co.uk, the former British MP said he is very excited and optimistic about the developments in spaceflight technology from recent years. With US space agency NASA developing the Lunar Gateway project and rocket manufacturer SpaceX pioneering reusable spacecraft, Mr Öpik said people in their 20s now are more likely than ever to pay visits to the Moon in 25 years
He said: “We all know it’s going to happen. It’s just a question of when and what exactly the best way to prove this is.
“For us, of course, the most important thing is longevity – staying up there for a while – because if you’re going to live in space you have to know that you can survive in space.
“That also applies to Mars and beyond. If we can only really survive for a year, this isn’t bad, but if you can actually make it for a few years then everything becomes possible.”
There are, the Asgardian politician noted, many challenges and obstacles that stand in the way.
Primarily, Mr Öpik is concerned with how humans remain sustainable enough in space to propagate the species.
Before humans can go and live in space, scientists need to figure out ways of keeping space dwellers busy, entertained and connected.
Space radiation is another risk to consider – long exposure to charged particles spewed by the Sun can render both male and female reproductive systems unusable, which begs the question if children will ever be born in space.
With this also comes an increased risk of cancer and other maladies that scientists still do not quite understand.
Last year, for instance, a team of scientists argued exposure to radiation on the surface of Mars will make future colonisation efforts risky.
And in June, scientists with the European Space Agency (ESA) warned the trip to Mars alone will expose astronauts to incredibly dangerous amounts of radiation.
Another factor to consider is the availability and sustainability of resources and energy in space.
Because of these issues, Mr Öpik argued entities like Asgardia are focused on all of the social, economic and technical aspects of living in space.
The Asgardian said: “Any space community has to be able to sustain itself in terms of energy. It’s not realistic to send an oil tanker up there every week.
“So, they’re the exciting questions and are all very credible scientific debates to be had.
“Asgardia is doing that and that’s why I’m involved.”
In the next 25 years, Mr Öpik said it is very “probable” and very “doable” people will go into space.
Ultimately, he argued it will require a lot of investment from venture capitalist like Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX.
The only other requirement, he said, is excitement and desire to push the boundaries of what is possible.
If the Apollo programme thought us anything in the last 50 years, it is that “if we put our mind to it, we can do it”.
And quoting the late Professor Stephen Hawking, Mr Öpik said: “Look up to the stars not in fear but with curiosity.”
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