NASA Europe Representative Gregory Mann at FTMC: We Would Love to See Lithuania Join Missions to the Moon and Mars

Lithuania on the Moon? Why not?

On 21 October, FTMC is hosting the Lithuania-U.S. Science and Innovation Forum, which opened with an inspiring call to action for Lithuanian science and industry.

“From Science to Strategic Capability” was the title of the event’s first keynote address, delivered by Gregory Mann, NASA Europe representative. The expert spoke about humanity’s ambition to return to the Moon and, in time, reach Mars. Lithuania, too, has the opportunity to play a part in this space race. How can this be achieved?

“It's gonna take work by the country itself, by the industry here to make it happen. What I'm showing up here today, what NASA's promising is not a freebie and not a giveaway. What we're offering is an opportunity.

By joining the Artemis Accords, Lithuania's got a ticket, but we're not gonna give you that ride. You're gonna work on that and compete for that and earn it. We're opening a new frontier in space, and we'd love Lithuania to join us.

Space infuses everything in our lives right now. And so for every citizen here in Lithuania and around the world, space is intricately tied with their lives. But for the future and where we head from here, some of that's unknown. Is there gonna be opportunities for mining or things on the Moon or in the asteroids? We don't know yet, but it's a new frontier, and the technologies that are expanding dramatically are gonna open up opportunities for people here and around the world,” says Gregory Mann.

The Lithuania-U.S. Science and Innovation Forum is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania together with its partners, FTMC and the Lithuanian Consortium for Engagement with MIT.

The event forms part of the programme of International Science Week in Lithuania, “(re)SEARCH 2026”. For more information, please visit scienceweek.lt.

Source: FTMC