As NASA’s Artemis program moves forward, questions occasionally arise about the role of the Lunar Gateway, the planned lunar-orbiting station intended to support long-term exploration. It remains part of NASA’s publicly stated architecture, but it is also reasonable to examine what Artemis could look like if that element were delayed, scaled back, or ultimately not flown.
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The Canadian Space Agency has awarded MDA Space a $1 billion contract for the next phases of the Canadarm3 program. This robotic system is integral to NASA’s Gateway, a space station that will circle the Moon to support the Artemis program.
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After NASA returns humans to the Moon during the Artemis 3 mission, the agency plans to begin assembling the first space station in lunar orbit. Part of the Artemis 4 mission, the goal is to deliver a critical component to the Lunar Gateway and begin enabling sustainable exploration of the Moon while serving as a stepping stone for future crewed missions to Mars.
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NASA’s Lunar Gateway program represents a pivotal initiative under the agency’s leadership, aimed at facilitating sustainable human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. This program is characterized by its emphasis on international and commercial partnerships, establishing a strategic outpost orbiting Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor to support scientific research, lunar surface expeditions, and deeper space ventures.
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In its latest earnings report, Northrop Grumman disclosed an “unfavorable estimate-at-completion adjustment” for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost module for NASA’s Lunar Gateway.
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It has been known for a while that Northrop Grumman will be the company tasked with building one of the most important modules on NASA’s Gateway station. It took a while, but now the company has finalized the firm, fixed-priced contract worth $935 million.
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Earlier this week we lost a great hero of NASA’s space program and now a petition for a great way to honor him is out there.
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A key part of NASA’s Artemis program is Gateway, a lunar outpost 1/6 the size of its cousin the International Space Station. It will be used as the orbital research lab for Earth-faring astronauts destined to explore the lunar surface and possibly as a rest stop for those heading to Mars. The first two modules are planned to launch in 2024 on top of the party pleaser Falcon Heavy rocket.
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NASA signed a contract this month with the company that will design its Gateway housing module. The lunar orbiting outpost is intended to be used in NASA’s Artemis program. The Orbital Science Corporation, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Space, was awarded a $187 million contract to work on the project.
The Gateway is an advanced lunar outpost that will be essential to the Artemis program in the future. The program aims to send the first woman and the next man to the Moon by 2024. NASA’s agreement with Orbital Science Corporation foresees that the Gateway’s preliminary design will be presented and revised by the end of this year.
SpaceX will be instrumental in NASA’s Artemis mission to send the first woman and next man to the moon by 2024. NASA has selected Elon Musk’s space exploration company to be the first U.S. commercial provider to deliver cargo to the Lunar Gateway — the space agency’s lunar orbiting hub.
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