CNET News reports on the successful Artemis 1 mission and adds that, “assuming everything goes to plan with all stages of Artemis, here are some things to look forward to in the coming decade or so,” including the lunar gateway, “a planned small space station that’ll sit in lunar orbit and serve as a solar-powered communication hub, science laboratory, habitation module for astronauts, holding center for rovers or robots and other such things.” The lunar gateway also “will serve as a model for future missions to Mars,” according to NASA.
Full Story (CNET News)
Tag: Artemis Gateway
Japan Outlines NASA Gateway Plans
Aviation Week reported that Japan has outlined “its planned contributions to NASA’s Gateway lunar-orbiting station and become the first of the four major International Space Station (ISS) partners to join with the U.S. in committing to formally extending operations of the seven-person orbital laboratory for 2024-30.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
NASA Selects Companies to Work on Artemis Program
The AP reported that NASA “has selected five U.S. companies to help the agency enable a steady pace of crewed trips to the lunar surface under the agency’s Artemis program.” The five companies that received awards are Blue Origin, Dynetics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX.
Full Story (Associated Press)
GM, Lockheed Martin Developing a Next-Generation Lunar Rover for Upcoming Artemis Missions
TechCrunch reports that General Motors and Lockheed Martin announced Wednesday that they are “working together to develop a next-generation lunar vehicle designed to be faster and capable of traveling farther distances than its predecessor.” NBC News reports that the lunar rover is “expected to be part of the companies’ efforts to bid on a contract under NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2024.”
Full Story (TechCrunch); More Info (NBC News)
South Korea in Talks with US to Join Artemis Project
Space News reports that South Korea “is in last-minute negotiations with the United States to join NASA’s Artemis program, a news outlet here reported May 18, citing government sources.” The two countries are aiming to complete negotiations before a May 21 summit between President Biden and South Korea President Moon Jae-in. An unnamed South Korean official “said the move to join the Artemis program was in line with ‘our continued commitment to strengthening partnership with NASA’ when it comes to space exploration.”
Full Story (Space News)
ESA Agrees to Provide Modules for Artemis Gateway
The AP reports that the European Space Agency “says it has agreed to provide several modules for NASA’s planned outpost around the moon, in return for a chance to send European astronauts to the lunar orbiter.” ESA said Tuesday that ESA Director-General Jan Woerner signed an agreement with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to provide “essential elements” for the Artemis Gateway.
Full Story (Associated Press)
NASA: Artemis 1 Will Not Launch Until May
SPACE reports an April launch is “no longer possible for Artemis 1, which will send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the moon using a huge Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket, agency officials said today (Feb. 24). And May could be difficult to hit as well.” Tom Whitmeyer, deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development at NASA headquarters in Washington, said Thursday during a virtual news conference, “We continue to evaluate the May window, but we’re also recognizing that there’s a lot of work in front of us.”
Full Story (SPACE)