On the future of lunar exploration

The future of lunar exploration is to witness a healthy competition, though a rat race cannot be ruled out completely. I think it should be more like an Olympic race where everyone gets the best from themselves. But it should not be a race where some others are prevented from the benefits of the Olympic exercise.

The moon is a great place to do things together. That is why we are proposing to all countries who have an active lunar programme to come forward and set up a robotic village, with robots from Japan, India, China, Europe and the US. Considering our expertise, such a colony can come about by 2014.

Governments in Europe and India share a vision of preserving the moon as a common heritage for humankind. If we are there, we can better influence this vision, indeed ensure it is treated as a common heritage. If we leave it to others, who do not share such a vision (countries like the USA and Russia refused to share the Moon Treaty), it may turn out to be a disaster.