Looking out at Earth

Opening in the lunar temple displaying Earth in the sky for two weeks out of every four weeks (Earth is upside down since the Moon Temple is located on the south pole of the Moon). Artist Jorge Mañes Rubio, part of ESA’s future-oriented Advanced Concepts Team (ACT), has designed a place of contemplation to serve a future lunar settlement. It would be built on the sunlit rim of 21-km diameter Shackleton Crater, which is bathed much of the time in sunlight while overlooking a 4.2 km-deep interior mired in perpetual shadow. One opening in the dome would look Earthwards, while another at the top will peer out into deep space. Jorge chose Shackleton because Earth is only visible periodically, inspiring more independent thinking. An app allowing people to virtually experience the Shackleton Crater environment for themselves is being finalised, meanwhile an animation is already available.