Lunar explorers society: Goals and activities

The Lunar Explorers Society (LUNEX) was founded by the participants of the 4th International Conference on the Exploration and Utilisation of the Moon (ICEUM4), held in July 2000 at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in The Netherlands. ICEUM4 was organised under the auspices of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG), and aimed to draw together people from diverse backgrounds with a common interest in the exploration of the Moon. At the end of the conference, a formal ICEUM4 Declaration was drawn up detailing the recommendations of the participants for the future of lunar exploration. LUNEX will be a society open to all Lunar Explorers and will aim to promote research, exploration and outreach programmes that will work towards the realisation of the goals outlined in the ICEUM4 Declaration. Following ICEUM4, a core group of active LUNEX members was identified to begin to shape the new-born society with guidance from ILEWG. A series of task groups have been installed to address the key LUNEX issues, with strong participation of young lunar explorers, and work is progressing towards the first LUNEX activities, both at the level of the task groups and to form national chapters. The first LUNEX convention will be held in March 2001, starting in Paris with the opening session, then continuing in Houston at the LPSC and closing in Nice during the EGS-conference.