In addition to its weather-watching mission and collection of climate records, MSG-3 has a radiation sensor to measures the amount of solar and infrared energy that is reflected back into space, to better understand climate processes.

MSN: Satellite's first photo of Earth is an impressive one

These activities could include demonstrations of new robots, inflatable modules in which to live or grow food ("greenhouses"), new life-support technologies, radiation protection systems, communications and sensor technologies, novel telemedicine approaches - anything that would be needed by astronauts on a self-sufficient mission far from Earth.

BBC: Manned flight around Moon considered