The gist: Human presence on the Moon cannot be achieved without a stator in orbit around the star. This is called the Lunar Gateway.
Establishing a base on the Moon that could host a human colony is not possible without a lunar space station. This ministation, called LOP-G (Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway) or simply Lunar Gateway (Lunar Portal), will be in orbit around the Moon and will be an essential support for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to Earth bring to. Moon.
“The Gateway Station, if connected to installations or a lunar base, would represent life-size laboratories to test future exploration equipment, but also create the conditions for the adaptation of astronauts to life far from Earth,” explains Jean Blouvac, Head of the Exploration and Manned Flight Program. at CNES.
European participation
The construction of this space station, which has already begun, will take place in two phases. The first, American, consists of the construction of a PPE module (propulsion/energy) and a mini-residential module (mini-HAB). Added to this is a lunar landing system, consisting of a transfer vehicle for descent to an altitude of 80–100 km above the Moon, a lunar landing module that remains on the Moon, and an ascent module that ensures the return of astronauts to the Gateway.
The second, more international phase of the project will add a larger housing module called I-HAB (International-Habitation-Modul). It was built by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space and is scheduled to launch in 2026.
Further modules will then be added: the Gateway Logistics Module for experiments and logistics (with articulated arm), the Gateway Airlock Module for extraboard excursions by astronauts, a space cargo ship or the European ESPRIT module (European System creasing Refueling, Infrastructure and Telecommunications) in 2027.
It will not replace the ISS
“Unlike the ISS, which it is not intended to replace, the Gateway station will not be permanently occupied. It will be visited (initially) only once a year by a crew of two astronauts and then four astronauts for a period of about one to three months,” CNES said.
As the first manned space station in orbit around a star other than Earth, the Lunar Gateway will have a very special orbit around the Moon. This will not be in a circle but in a halo. It will fly over the moon at a distance of at least 1,500 to 7,000 km and move away from it up to 70,000 km at intervals of one to two weeks. The astronauts will also have experiences that those on the ISS did not have, such as delaying communication with Earth by a second or the duration of the journey to the Earth station.