earth and the moon, appearing as one system

Humanity is returning to the Moon. How we do it matters.

Open Lunar Foundation is helping to create a peaceful, cooperative future on the Moon for all life. We work on policy and partnerships that support a sustainable lunar settlement driven by open values.

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Featured •
March 2023

Welcoming our new Executive Director: Meet Jacob Malthouse

"I am looking forward to supporting the Space and Lunar Community as Executive Director of Open Lunar Foundation. I know I have a lot to learn about this community, and I look forward to doing so as we seek to create lunar stewardship together."

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Solving critical challenges and setting precedents

Why now?

The Moon is fast becoming the frontier for sustained civilisation and development. Space technology is leaping forward, launch costs are decreasing, and more companies and nations are planning lunar missions that ever before.

Our contribution

We contribute to the legal, cultural and technological requirements for humanity to create a cooperative, sustainable Earth-Moon system, through policy development and building global cooperation.

How can we create shared social and political visions for life in space, beyond technology and science?

What key infrastructure will be mutually beneficial for all lunar missions in the next five years and how might we co-create it?

How can the work we do on the Moon transform and inform society and life on Earth?

How can we open up space innovation in the same way that the open source software movement opened up software innovation?

How can we enable aerospace cooperation and information sharing internationally?

How can we enable actors who aren't usually involved in aerospace endeavours to join our efforts?

How do we incentivise private activity while honouring the benefit sharing intentions of the OST?

How can future space settlement designs be radically inclusive of those currently underrepresented?

What new policy analogs can we draw on, besides the law of the seas and Antarctica, to inform regulations on the Moon?

Programmes of Work

Our work helps everyone move faster and more effectively together, on Earth and in space. 

a woman sitting, writing in a notebook

Cooperative Policy

Build cooperation and trust across sectors and governments, by developing practical policy frameworks for managing interests and activities on the Moon.

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Our policy programme includes

  • Co-creating new policy concepts with partners to supply alternatives for lunar policy
  • Hosting collaborative & productive forums with international participation from governments and space industry actors to create shared thinking
a road snaking off into the distance

Common Infrastructure

Partnerships to create collaborative road-maps, open instrument designs, payload co-investment strategies, & public goods creation.

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Our Partnerships Explore:

  • Hosting online databases of planned & historical lunar activities, and registries of lunar objects.
  • Invest in prototyping lunar infrastructure development such as navigation or comms tools
  • Evaluate near term scenarios on the lunar surface to discover needs and solutions regarding cooperative protocols
Our Organisation

Building an Open Lunar Future

Our team leverages backgrounds in rapid spacecraft development, planetary science, policy and governance, and global cooperation.  We’re backed by a growing network of astronauts, engineers, space industry leaders, and legal experts.

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Four members of the Open Lunar team: two men and two women.
This is a critical mission. It is inevitable that we will become an interplanetary species. Let’s work together to do it the right way.
Chris Hadfield
former commander of iss
Chairman of open lunar foundation
With many voices and disciplines at the table, our collective ideas of a better society can get translated into action and reality.
Lindy Elkins-Tanton
Planetary Scientist, Director at ASU & PI on "Psyche"
Board member of Open Lunar Foundation

Welcome to a global family

Let's create human footprints that we can all be proud of, together.

Join the team

We are recruiting for roles and building a pool of talented community members from across policy, aerospace engineering and space research.

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Partnership

We partner with many organisations working in space technology and associated industries who believe in our shared mission.

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Contribute

We are supported by individuals, family offices and foundations. To support, donate below or email contact@openlunar.org directly.

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We value
Collaboration & Openness
Experimentation & Iteration
Pragmatism & Discipline
Intentionality & Integrity