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NASA is getting closer to its return to the moon, but its willingness to send crewed missions to the lunar surface is really just the beginning of a much larger initiative. A space station in orbit around the Moon, which NASA calls the bridge, will serve as a starting point for crew journeys to the surface of the Moon and eventually to Mars. NASA needs your help to make sure it stays supplied.
The space agency has just sent a request for proposals to US companies in order to propose solutions for the shipment of cargo, scientific equipment and various miscellaneous supplies to the bridge.
NASA is asking companies to develop a plan for a spacecraft capable of safely transporting cargo to the bridge and staying there docked for at least six months. The spacecraft must then be able to be self-eliminated and must be able to be launched on a commercial rocket.
"Working with the industry to provide the supplies needed for our lunar missions is a crucial step in accelerating our return to the moon as part of the Artemis program, and in particular to achieve this ambitious goal of landing the next astronauts." Americans on the Moon by 2024, "said the current director of NASA. Bridenstine said in a statement. "This solicitation builds on NASA's innovative capabilities in low Earth orbit with the commercial freight replenishment of the International Space Station and is the next step in the commercialization of deep space."
NASA is relying more and more on private companies to meet its needs in recent years, partnering with startups such as SpaceX to reduce the cost of shipping various spacecraft into orbit and delivering goods. at the International Space Station. The agency will surely need the help of companies to make the Moon mission a reality by 2024, but we will have to wait to see what proposals will be appropriate for NASA.
Source of image: NASA
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