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Europe Goes to the Moon

Europe Goes to the Moon
Europe Goes to the Moon We indulge in a bit of whimsy with this photomontage of the Moon over Paris, symbolizing the European Space Agency's developing interest in mounting an ambitious program to explore Earth's satellite. The Moon was the first great goal of the United States and Russian space programs, but their exploratory interests drifted elsewhere in the solar system. Only the Japanese Hiten spacecraft and the Clementine technology demonstration project have investigated the Moon lately. ESA sees it as a target of opportunity that could establish the agency as a major space power. Eiffel Tower: Alex Bartel/Zepher Pictures; Moon: Kerry Hurd, courtesy of Dennis Milon