European Space Agency (ESA) has taken a major step in its lunar exploration plans, signing a contract with Thales Alenia Space to build the Argonaut lunar lander. This new lander is designed to tackle the extreme day/night cycle on the Moon and will have a primary mission duration of 5 years.
Each Argonaut lander will feature a standard descent and cargo module, but will carry different payloads depending on its mission objectives. The ESA hopes that its first successful landing will take place in 2031. This partnership marks an exciting development in the agency’s efforts to explore the Moon with robotic missions.
Source: https://m.universetoday.com/@fraser/113918285156160837