Apollo astronaut: Colonization is ‘certainly feasible’ on the moon
As the United States inches closer to the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, NASA’s effort to resume space exploration and settle on the uninhabited planet may actually become a reality, according to an Apollo 17 astronaut.
“Settlements are certainly feasible on the moon and I suspect that’s going to happen,” Harrison Schmitt told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.”
Schmitt was one of the last people to set foot on the moon during the final mission of NASA’s Apollo program. He said there is an abundance of natural resources, including water, oxygen and power that can support very large settlements.
Under new direction from the Trump administration, NASA is in the process of working on new technology that can safely transport astronauts to and from outer space. But Schmitt is also putting the onus on the private sector.
“NASA needs to get the infrastructure put together,” he said, “but the private sector can be there as well.”
He added that the United States is in a geopolitical race with China to dominate space.