© ASTRON

The Beyond Earth: Lunar and Space Radio Missions conference, held last week, brought together scientists, engineers, and space mission planners to dive into the exciting future of radio astronomy beyond our planet. The focus was clear: how can we use the Moon or outer space as a platform for groundbreaking radio observations? The Moon’s far side, in particular, offers a uniquely quiet environment, free from Earth’s radio noise, making it perfect for studying the early universe and phenomena like exoplanet aurorae. But it’s not just about the science; the conference tackled the tough engineering challenges of actually getting telescopes to work in such harsh environments. There was a push for collaboration, both between disciplines and across countries, recognizing that ambitious projects like these need shared resources and expertise. A key theme was making sure these astronomy goals fit into the larger plans for lunar exploration, so future missions can piggyback scientific instruments without reinventing the wheel each time. The conference wasn’t just a technical workshop—it was a chance to align visions, build partnerships, and spark new ideas for how we explore the universe from beyond Earth. Ultimately, it set the stage for the next wave of space-based radio astronomy, showing that with the right collaboration, the Moon or outer space could become home for our next great radio observatory. In particular, I want to thank Marjan, Liesbet, Henrik and Ekaterina for all their hard work in making the conference possible!