The government has confirmed that it has no current plan to send Malaysians to the Moon, stressing that its participation in the Artemis Accords is not intended to support human lunar missions.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said Malaysia’s involvement in the initiative, which began in 2020, is focused on space cooperation and technology development rather than astronaut missions to the Moon or orbit.
“Any decision to carry out such missions in the future will be carefully studied based on scientific value, strategic returns to the country and most importantly, the nation’s financial position.”
He added that the government’s priority at present is to ensure Malaysian expertise is involved in developing space technology, instrumentation and infrastructure that can deliver real economic benefits.
Chang also clarified that the Artemis Accords itself is not a lunar mission programme.
“Artemis Accords, which was established in 2020, is a set of principles, guidelines and best practices that are practical and non-binding for the exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids for peaceful purposes,” he said.
Through Malaysia’s participation, the country is expected to benefit from opportunities in the emerging lunar economy, which is projected to reach US$127 billion by 2050.
Key areas of focus include micro-satellite manufacturing, semiconductor components, robotics, artificial intelligence systems and high-precision sensor technologies.
These efforts align with the National Space Policy 2030, which targets the local space industry contributing 1% or RM10 billion to GDP and creating 5,000 high-skilled jobs by 2030.
The government said the goal is to develop globally competitive local space entrepreneurs, rather than prioritising sending astronauts to the Moon.
TV3
