Topics Covered: Awareness in space.
NASA’s Gateway Lunar Orbit outpost
Context:
NASA recently finalised the contract for the initial crew module of the agency’s Gateway lunar orbiting outpost.
The contract, which is worth $187 million has been awarded to Orbital Science Corporation of Dulles, Virginia, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Space.
What is the contract for?
NASA has issued this contract to design the habitation and logistics (HALO) support for the Gateway, which is a part of NASA’s Artemis program that aims to send the first woman and the next man to the Moon by 2024.
The HALO refers to the pressurised living quarters where astronauts will spend their time while visiting the Gateway.
These quarters will be about the size of a small apartment and will provide augmented life support in tandem with NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
What is NASA’s Gateway Lunar Orbit outpost?
The Gateway is a small spaceship that will orbit the Moon, meant for astronaut missions to the Moon and later, for expeditions to Mars.
It will act as a temporary office and living quarters for astronauts, distanced at about 250,000 miles from Earth.
The spaceship will have living quarters, laboratories for science and research and docking ports for visiting spacecraft.
Compared to the ISS, the Gateway is much smaller.
How long will it take to build the Gateway?
As of now, NASA has targeted the completion of the Gateway for 2026, while work on the spaceship is already underway.
By 2022, NASA plans to ready the power and propulsion for the spaceship, which will be launched on a partner-provided commercial rocket.
What is Artemis?
Artemis– Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon’s Interaction with the Sun. It is NASA’s next mission to the Moon.
Objective: To measure what happens when the Sun’s radiation hits our rocky moon, where there is no magnetic field to protect it. Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- What is Artemis?
- Significance of Artemis.
- What is Orion Spacecraft?
- What is Gateway Lunar Orbit outpost?
- How is it different from the ISS?
- Why is it proposed to be used?
- NASA missions to the Moon and Mars.
Mains Link:
Discuss the significance of Gateway Lunar Orbit Outpost.
Sources: Indian Express.
