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By NASA
Technicians carefully install a piece of equipment to house Gateway’s xenon fuel tanks, part of its advanced electric propulsion system. Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element, which will make the lunar space station the most powerful solar electric spacecraft ever flown, recently received the xenon and liquid fuel tanks for its journey to and around the Moon.
Technicians in Palo Alto, California carefully install a piece of equipment that will house the tanks. Once fully assembled and launched to lunar orbit, the Power and Propulsion Element’s roll-out solar arrays – together about the size of an American football field endzone – will harness the Sun’s energy to energize xenon gas and produce the thrust to get Gateway to the Moon’s orbit where it will await the arrival of its first crew on the Artemis IV mission.
The Power and Propulsion Element will also carry the European Radiation Sensors Array science experiment provided by ESA (European Space Agency) and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), one of three Gateway science experiments that will study solar and cosmic radiation. The little understood phenomenon is a chief concern for humans and hardware journeying to deep-space destinations like Mars and beyond.
The Power and Propulsion Element is managed out of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio and built by Maxar Space Systems of Palo Alto, California.
Hardware for the Gateway space station’s Power and Propulsion element, including its primary structure and fuel tanks ready for assembly, are shown at Maxar Space Systems in Palo Alto, California.Maxar Space Systems An artist’s rendering of the Gateway space station’s Power and Propulsion Element.NASA/Alberto Bertolin A type of advanced electric propulsion system thruster that will be used on Gateway glows blue as it emits ionized xenon gas during testing at NASA’s Glenn Research Center.NASA An artist’s rendering of European Radiation Sensor Array science experiment that will study both radiation and lunar dust. NASA Learn More About Gateway Share
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Last Updated Nov 20, 2024 ContactDylan Connelldylan.b.connell@nasa.govLocationJohnson Space Center Related Terms
Gateway Space Station Artemis Earth's Moon Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Gateway Program Glenn Research Center Johnson Space Center Explore More
3 min read Gateway: Centering Science
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Stephanie Dudley, Gateway’s mission integration and utilization manager, sits inside a high-fidelity HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) mockup at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.NASA/Josh Valcarcel Stephanie Dudley sits at the intersection of human spaceflight and science for Gateway, humanity’s first lunar space station that will host astronauts and unique scientific investigations.
Gateway’s mission integration and utilization manager, Dudley recently posed for this photo in a high-fidelity mockup of the space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for missions to investigate the lunar South Pole region. Dudley works with NASA’s partner space agencies and academia to identify science opportunities on Gateway.
HALO will host various science experiments, including the Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite, led by NASA, and the Internal Dosimeter Array, led by ESA (European Space Agency) and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). The heliophysics experiment will fly on HALO’s exterior, and the dosimeter will be housed inside Gateway in a series of racks, mockups of which are shown to the right of Dudley in the image above. Both experiments will study solar and cosmic radiation to help the science community better understand how to protect astronauts and hardware during deep space travels to places like Mars.
“We are building [Gateway] for a 15-year lifespan, but definitely hope that we go longer than that,” Dudley recently said on Houston We Have a Podcast. “And so that many years of scientific study in a place where humans have never worked and lived long-term, Gateway is going to allow us to do that.”
Dudley pulls double duty as a deputy director for the Exploration Operations Office within NASA’s Moon to Mars Program, a role that connects her to Artemis science beyond Gateway, including science investigations on the Orion and Human Landing System spacecraft and lunar terrain vehicle.
“My work…is helping to make sure that across all of the six [Artemis] programs, including Gateway, we’re all focusing on utilization in the same way,” Dudley said.
Dudley’s team coordinates science payloads for Artemis II, the first mission to send humans to the Moon since 1972, and Artemis III, the first landing in the lunar South Pole region that is of keen interest to the global science community.
Gateway’s HALO will launch with the space station’s Power and Propulsion Element ahead of the Artemis IV mission in 2028, the first lunar mission to include an orbiting space station.
“Gateway sounds so science fiction, but it’s real,” Dudley recently said. “And we’re building it. And in a few years, it’s going to be around the Moon and that’s when the real work, the fun work in my opinion, is going to begin and science will never be the same.”
Gateway is humanity’s first lunar space station as a central component of the Artemis campaign that will return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars.
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), one of four Gateway modules where astronauts will live, conduct science and prepare for lunar surface missions.Thales Alenia Space An artist’s rendering of the Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite, or HERMES, one of the three Gateway science experiments that will study solar and cosmic radiation.NASA An artist’s rendering of HALO in lunar orbit. The HERMES science experiment is shown on the top right corner of the space station element.NASA/Alberto Bertolin, Bradley Reynolds Learn More About Gateway Share
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Last Updated Oct 29, 2024 EditorBriana R. ZamoraContactDylan Connelldylan.b.connell@nasa.govLocationJohnson Space Center Related Terms
Gateway Space Station Artemis Earth's Moon Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Gateway Program Humans in Space Johnson Space Center Science & Research Explore More
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By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Hundreds of students, scientists, and other stakeholders listen in person and online as NASA leaders discuss the Artemis missions during the 2023 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium held Oct. 25–27 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. NASA / Charles Beason Media are invited to attend the 2024 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium Monday Oct. 28 to Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Organized by the American Astronautical Society in collaboration with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, the annual symposium gathers leaders from across government, industry, policy, and academia to discuss the current landscape of space exploration and chart a path forward amid the challenges that lie ahead.
The theme of this year’s event is “Expanding Exploration: From Vision to Reality,” focusing on NASA’s and Marshall’s plans for the future and the broader discourse about exploration and discovery, technology, the workforce, and other elements of the space ecosystem.
Media members interested should register with the astronautical society as a media representative under these guidelines for in-person or online attendance.
Marshall Center Director Joseph Pelfrey will deliver opening remarks on Oct. 28, followed by panels on Artemis, artificial intelligence, and workforce development. NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails will deliver a keynote address to close out the first day.
Panels on, Oct. 29, will focus on space nuclear propulsion, science, and lunar logistics and mobility. Col. Eric Zarybnisky, Office of Space Launch director at the National Reconnaissance Office, will provide the luncheon keynote.
The third and final day of the symposium Oct. 30, will include discussions on nuclear propulsion, space technology, and human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free and Wayne Hale, who retired in 2010 as the deputy associate administrator of strategic partnerships at NASA Headquarters in Washington, will lead a discussion and present awards at the closing luncheon.
To arrange interviews with NASA Marshall speakers, contact Hannah Maginot, 256-932-1937, or Molly Porter, 256-424-5158.
For more information on NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/marshall
Hannah Maginot
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
hannah.l.maginot@nasa.gov
256-932-1937
Molly Porter
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
molly.a.porter@nasa.gov
256-424-5158
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Last Updated Oct 23, 2024 EditorBeth RidgewayContactMolly Portermolly.a.porter@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
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19 min read The Marshall Star for October 23, 2024
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By NASA
Teams from NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), including NASA astronaut Stan Love (far right) and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano (far left) help conduct human factors testing inside a mockup for the Gateway lunar space station. Thales Alenia Space Teams at NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and Thales Alenia Space, including astronauts Stan Love and Luca Parmitano, came together in Turin, Italy, this summer for a test run of Gateway, humanity’s first space station to orbit the Moon.
The group conducted what is known as human factors testing inside a mockup of Lunar I-Hab, one of four Gateway modules where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for missions to the Moon’s South Pole region. The testing is an important step on the path to launch by helping refine the design of spacecraft for comfort and safety.
Lunar I-Hab is provided by ESA and Thales Alenia Space and is slated to launch on Artemis IV. During that mission, four astronauts will launch inside the Orion spacecraft atop an upgraded version of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and deliver Lunar I-Hab to Gateway in orbit around the Moon.
ESA, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre of the United Arab Emirates are providing major hardware for Gateway, including science experiments, the modules where astronauts will live and work, robotics, and life support systems.
International teams of astronauts will explore the scientific mysteries of deep space with Gateway as part of the Artemis campaign to return to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars and beyond.
A mockup of ESA’s Lunar I-Hab module, one of four elements of the Gateway space station where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for missions to the lunar South Pole Region.Thales Alenia Space An artist’s rendering of ESA’s Lunar I-Hab module in orbit around the Moon, one of four elements of the Gateway space station where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for missions to the lunar South Pole Region.NASA/Alberto Bertolin, Bradley Reynolds Learn More About Gateway Share
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Last Updated Oct 22, 2024 EditorBriana R. ZamoraContactDylan Connelldylan.b.connell@nasa.govLocationJohnson Space Center Related Terms
Gateway Space Station Artemis Artemis 4 Earth's Moon Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Gateway Program Humans in Space Johnson Space Center Explore More
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By NASA
Representatives of the Artemis Accords signatories, including NASA leadership, met Oct. 14, 2024, for a principals meeting in Milan, during the International Astronautical Congress. With 42 of 45 signatories participating in the event, established and emerging spacefaring nations from every region of the world were represented. Credit: UAE Space Agency A record number of Artemis Accords signatories, including the United States, gathered at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s largest global space conference taking place in Milan this week, furthering discussions on the safe and responsible use of space for the benefit of all.
During the space conference, top space agency leaders and other government representatives met Oct. 14 to continue advancing implementation of the Artemis Accords, marking the most comprehensive engagement yet among Accords signatories.
“As we send humans further into the solar system, collaboration and shared responsibility among nations are more critical than ever,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “The Artemis Accords provide a common sense set of principles to guide our work together, and our recent efforts to further their implementation is fostering a remarkable environment of trust and cooperation where all nations can contribute to and benefit from these endeavors.”
The high-level meeting was co-chaired by NASA, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) and Italian Space Agency. With 42 of 45 signatories participating, established and emerging spacefaring nations from every region of the world were represented to help create a foundation for future space exploration for the Artemis Generation.
Leaders from each nation reflected on how the group can contribute to and advance existing multilateral forums, further technical discussions to inform policy deliberations, and promote and encourage the participation of emerging space nations including the adoption of the Artemis Accords by additional countries. They agreed on recommendations on non-interference, interoperability, release of scientific data, long-term sustainability guidelines, and registration to advance implementing the Artemis Accords. A method of operations was established for the ongoing work of the signatories.
“Promoting the participation of emerging space nations and encouraging the adoption of the Artemis Accords is crucial for the entire space,” said Teodoro Valente, president of the Italian Space Agency. “This is a matter of strategic importance in order to ensure the active and meaningful engagement of emerging space nations, both those already part of the Artemis Accords, and those poised to join in the future.”
The conversation in Milan built on previous work during a workshop in Montreal in May 2024, where participantsdelved into the topics such as non-interference and interoperability.
“Canada is pleased to be part of a growing group of countries committed to the safety and sustainability of outer space activities,” said Lisa Campbell, CSA president. “We are strong supporters of the Artemis Accords and are pleased to have hosted the most recent workshop that advanced work on key aspects of the Artemis Accords. We look forward to continuing this important work in the coming months and years.”
In October 2023, signatories agreed on an initial set of mission data parameters to advance transparency and non-interference in conducting space activities. The data parameters identify relevant information about planned lunar surface missions including expected launch dates, the general nature of activities, and landing locations. Recent progress also included work on a database to house them. Several space agencies, including NASA, have submitted mission data to the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs for dissemination.
Potential focus areas for the next year include further advancing sustainability, including debris management for both lunar orbit and the surface of the Moon.
In 2020, the United States and seven other nations were the first to sign the Artemis Accords, which identified a set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity. The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.
The commitments of the Artemis Accords and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles support the safe and sustainable exploration of space.
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
-end-
Amber Jacobson / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Oct 18, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
artemis accords Opportunities For International Participants to Get Involved Science of Space Exploration View the full article
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