Man's return to the moon may come through the Tall City.

Astroport Space Technologies has opened an office in Midland to develop its lunar surface testing facility and moon yard.

Don Hooper, planetary geologist for the San Antonio-based company, will be in Midland this Wednesday to address the Midland chapter of SIPES on planetary geology and the geotechnics of lunar landing pad construction.

"The purpose of the talk is to raise awareness," Hooper told the Reporter-Telegram.

He said the company is also working to obtain funding to build the moon yard, a full-scale mock-up of the lunar surface. He said the company has several potential sites for the moon yard, including Midland and a spot outside its San Antonio offices.

"It should be enclosed to test atmospheric conditions," he said.

The company has received funding from NASA to develop construction materials technologies and civil engineering methods and processes for autonomous robotic construction of lunar surface infrastructure such as landing pads, as part of NASA's Artemis program for returning to the moon. But Hooper said the company is seeking additional funding to build the moon yard, a mock-up of the lunar surface that would allow space for a variety of robots to operate and other sorts of activities. He said it should also be enclosed to test atmospheric conditions.

"Habitat construction is what we're trying to do," he said.

Hooper said the project would benefit both Astroport and the oil and gas industry. Technology and skills - particularly in geosciences - from the oil and gas industry would help improve understanding of the lunar surface and how to build a habitat. At the same time, gains from efforts to return to the moon - satellite imagery, environmental monitoring, robotics and automation would benefit the oil and gas industry. Advances in materials to be used in a lunar habitat would also be used to improve oil and gas equipment, he added.

In addition to describing its lunar testing facility and the moon yard, Hooper will also discuss how the Moon Yard could be a catalyst for workforce development and provide STEM education programs to area students.