Why NASA Wants To Build A Space Station Around The Moon
Lunar Exploration Hub: The Gateway would act as a staging area for astronauts, making lunar surface exploration easier by providing a nearby base for landing and returning to orbit.
Long-Term Lunar Presence: Establishing a station near the Moon allows for extended human missions and the potential to build infrastructure for a sustained presence on the lunar surface.
Deep Space Testing Ground: The Gateway serves as a testbed for technologies and systems that will be used on Mars and other deep-space missions, helping NASA to refine life-support systems, radiation shielding, and habitat structures.
Resource Utilization: By positioning close to the Moon, NASA can study and potentially use lunar resources like water ice, which could be converted into fuel or support life, reducing dependence on Earth-based supplies.
International Collaboration: The Gateway is part of a global effort involving international space agencies like ESA, JAXA, and CSA. This cooperative approach strengthens alliances and shares the financial and technical burdens of space exploration.
Scientific Research: The station would allow for unique research opportunities in areas like astrophysics, heliophysics, and lunar geology, including studying the Moon’s far side, which is shielded from Earth’s radio noise.
Support for Mars Missions: The Gateway acts as a potential waypoint for future Mars missions, providing a platform to assemble and launch Mars-bound spacecraft in a low-gravity environment, which is more fuel-efficient than launching directly from Earth.
Space Economy Development: Building and operating a lunar station promotes the growth of a space economy by encouraging commercial partners to develop technology, create jobs, and expand human activity beyond Earth.