Johann-Dietrich Woerner is the director general of the European Space Agency. He said building a permanent base on the Moon is a "stepping stone" and a "test bed" for a visit to Mars.

The American space agency, NASA, has set a goal of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

"I think we should go first to the Moon and then further on," Woerner said. The effort to set up the Moon base is expected to be a collaborative one among countries that have or are developing space programs. That would include the United States, Russia, China and India.

Woerner said the village would be used for scientific experiments. He added the Moon’s minerals and other resources would be used to build and maintain the base.

It has been more than 50 years since men visited the Moon. Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan was the last man to walk on the Earth’s only natural satellite on December 14, 1972.

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