Thales Alenia Space, Italian Space Agency to develop first human outpost on the moon

July 25 (Reuters) - Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency have signed a contract to develop the first human outpost on the moon as part of the Artemis program, the joint venture between France's Thales TCFP.PA and Italy's Leonardo LDOF.MI said on Friday.

The U.S.-led Artemis program, which sees the lunar surface as a testing ground for later missions to Mars, has grown into a multibillion-dollar effort involving dozens of private companies and countries at the forefront of an emerging global space race.

Thales Alenia Space said its Multi-Purpose Habitation module, a crucial element for a future permanent human presence on Earth's satellite, will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 2033 and will have a lifespan of at least 10 years.

It will deliver "a secure, comfortable and multifunctional habitat module for astronauts, fully compatible with other systems and components", it said, according to a statement.

The module will be used to conduct science experiments and test the moon's habitability, and could pave the way for eventual Mars missions, the company said.