How they plan to make Lunar Gateway
The US lunar station was publicly unveiled by NASA in March 2017 under
The first step was to create a station atin a circumlunar orbit, the second stage is the assembly at the station of a transport ship for a flight to Mars and an annual manned flight in the orbit of the Moon to test the possibility of long-term flights.
According to a memo dated May 2, 2018, NASAconsiders the station in the orbit of the moon, as well as the commercial lunar projects supported by the US government for the creation of small lunar devices, as preparation for the launch of large unmanned missions and the basis for the implementation of the landing of people on the surface of the satellite.
The current idea for this project isconstruction of a multi-module station that will orbit the Moon. It is expected that four people will be able to work at the station during the expedition for a period of 30 to 60–90 days. It is planned that manned flights to the station using Space Launch System launch vehicles will initially be carried out once a year.
The station will be located in Near orbitRectilinear Halo Orbit abbreviated as NRHO: the minimum distance from the surface of the Moon is about 3 thousand km, the maximum is about 70 thousand km. The station will make one revolution around the Moon for approximately 7 days.
Besides such an orbit that can be usedas a transition point from which one can fly to the moon and into deep space, the option of placing the station in a low circumlunar orbit with an altitude of between 100 and 200 km, from which it is easier to land on the moon, was considered.
Station modules
- Electric motor module... First NASA module.In May 2019, Maxar Technologies (formerly SSL) won the competition for the development and provision of the module, with which a $ 375 million contract was signed. Blue Origin and Draper will also participate in the creation of the module. It is stated that the design of the module is based on a 1300 class platform, solar panels are based on ROSA, the power of an electrodynamic motor powered by solar panels is about 50 kW; communication systems will also be located on it; module weight at the time of launch 5,000 kg; the launch of the module is scheduled for the end of 2022. After a period of successful operation of the module by its supplier in lunar orbit, NASA may purchase it for use as the first element of the station. A request issued in July 2017 indicated that the module within the concept of the station will have ion as well as chemical engines using hydrazine, a tank holding 2,000 kg of xenon for ion engines, and have a minimum of 15 years of service life, also the mass must not exceed 7.5 tons in order to be launched on the SLS LV.
- Small living module.The second NASA module as part of the station withinArtemis program, necessary for a manned landing in 2024. In July 2019, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems was selected as the module's manufacturer, with no contract awarded at that time. The module is based on the Cygnus ship, created together with Thales Alenia Space, which previously participated in the creation of the Multi-Purpose Supply Module and the ATV cargo ship. Two axial and up to two radial docking ports. Thanks to the module, a crew of 4 people will be able to stay at the station for up to 30 days. Launch no earlier than Q4 FY2023. Previously - U.S. Utilization Element.
- International residential module.A residential module created by US international partners jointly with European and Japanese agencies. Thanks to the residential module, the crew will be able to stay at the station for a period of 30 to 60 days.
- American residential module.Residential module created by the USA.
- Supply module... Various supply modules created by the United States and international partners.
- Gateway module.If Russia participates, it is planned thatThe Russian version of the spacewalk module will be created on the basis of the Pirs and Uzlovoy modules developed for the ISS. The module will be created according to American standards - for voltage in the electrical network, system interfaces. The module will also be controlled through American systems. Different options for launching the module are being considered: on the SLS or on the Angara-5M; in case of launch on Angara-5M, the mass of the module is 4.6 tons.
It is planned that the station modules will bebe delivered to a circumlunar orbit using American commercial launch vehicles, also with the Orion spacecraft LV Space Launch System. Roskosmos did not rule out the use of Russian Proton-M and Angara-A5M missiles for launching Russian modules, as well as a super-heavy launch vehicle.
New features Lunar Gateway
A station in lunar orbit will make it possible to solvenew tasks. First of all, the ISS, although it is in space and exposed to cosmic radiation, is in lighter conditions - it is covered by the Earth’s radiation belts.
The first manned flight to the station with landing onThe moon is expected to last about a month, which will be a new record for the longest time a person has been outside the radiation belts. It is still impossible to accurately predict the time and direction of the ejection on the Sun, so long watches at the lunar station may well encounter them.
In this case, astronauts most likely shouldwill use the most protected compartment - the Orion ship as a refuge. Calculations made for the Apollo program say that in a command module with thick walls, even in the event of a very strong solar storm, astronauts will be able to remain operational and safely complete the mission. But real experience can provide important data to refine the calculations.
Lunar Gateway as a replacement for the ISS
Such a project could be a significant response tothe question of what will happen to manned spaceflight after the ISS, how and for what will the vast experience of joint work accumulated over the years of its creation and operation be used. The international station has been operating for almost 20 years, the end of its work is scheduled for 2024 - perhaps the deadline will be extended until 2028, but sooner or later it will still have to be removed from orbit.
And then international cooperation can findnatural continuation already at the lunar orbit. The work at the new station will make it possible to preserve this experience and recruit a new one, which is necessary for the next stage of the manned expedition to Mars.
When is the launch scheduled
The communication module (HLCS) should be launched in 2023 together with the American HALO module (according to other sources, in 2024).
And in 2026, the refueling module (ERM) will be launched.
At what stage is the work on the station now
- Construction of the module ESPRIT
On January 7, 2021 ESA signed a contract withThales Alenia Space (Franco-Italian manufacturer) for €296 million to build the European ESPRIT module for NASA's Lunar Gateway space station.
ESPRIT (European System Providing Refueling, Infrastructure and Telecommunications) serves as a voice and video communication module between the Gateway and the lunar surface.
It also provides refueling of the Gateway station with fuel. Through it, you can refuel external ships, for example, going to the surface of the moon. ESPRIT consists of these two modules.
- Construction of the HALO module
NASA signs contract with NorthropGrumman for $ 935 million to build a Habitation And Logistics Outpost (HALO) module for the Lunar Gateway. The contract also provides for the integration of the module with the power plant manufactured by Maxar Technologies.
HALO will be both a habitat for the crew andresearch center. The pressurized living quarters will be docked with spacecraft, including NASA's Orion spacecraft, lunar landers and resupply ships.
Immediately after the launch of the study, the HALO will begin to carry out the Experimental complex for heliophysical measurements of the environment and radiation, created at the Space Flight Center. Goddard.
A critical review of the project will take place in 2022.HALO is slated to launch in November 2024 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Northrop Grumman will oversee the powerplant and HALO integration and launch preparation from SpaceX, as well as provide HALO activation and validation during flight to lunar orbit.
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