The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to build a village on the moon. No, not a tiny research facility with a couple of sparse structures, but a full-on, habitable village with citizens from around the world, facilitated by robotic astronaut missions and supported by communication satellites.

The new Director General of the ESA, Professor Johann-Dietrich Woerner, proposed the plan for a village on the moon at the 66th International Astronautical Congress in Jerusalem last week.

“We should look to the future beyond the International Space Station,” Woener said to the BBC, “We should look for a smaller spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for microgravity research and I propose a Moon village on the far side of the Moon.”

“A Moon village shouldn’t just mean some houses, a church and a town hall,” says Woerner. “This Moon village should mean partners from all over the world contributing to this community with robotic and astronaut missions and support communication satellites.”

Woerner sees the moon as a place to bridge Earthly problems. He also invited China to join the Moon village plan. He envisions the Moon village having astronauts, Russian cosmonauts, and Chinese taikonauts. "We should have international cooperation, without any limitations, with any countries of the world," he added.