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By NASA // June 25, 2018
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The NASA Gateway will become an orbital outpost for robotic and human exploration operations in deep space
As part of the agency's exploration campaign, NASA's gateway will become the orbital outpost for robotic and human exploration operations in deep space . Built with commercial and international partners, the Gateway will support exploration on and near the Moon, and beyond, including Mars. (Image of NASA)
(NASA) – As part of the agency's exploration campaign, NASA's gateway will become the orbital outpost for robotic and human exploration operations in the near future. 39, deep space. Built with commercial and international partners, the Gateway will support exploration on and near the Moon, and beyond, including Mars.
NASA has issued a solicitation project through a Large-Scale Ad (BAA) on June 21, 2018, for partnership proposals for the first element of the Gateway.
NASA is looking for a 50 kW solar electric propulsion (SEP) spacecraft to maintain the bridge's position and move it between lunar orbits if necessary.
It will also power the rest of the bridge, controls and communications. In addition to the BAA project, NASA will host an industry day on July 10 at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland before issuing the final BBA. The details of the day of the industry are available in the BAA project.
With this upcoming solicitation, the industry will be invited to participate in a public / private partnership, which includes an in-flight demonstration of power and space propulsion. Following this test, which can last up to a year in the space after launch, NASA will have the opportunity to acquire the spacecraft to use as the first element of the lunar orbit gateway.
"We believe the partnership with the US industry to boost solar electric propulsion and serve NASA's exploration objectives," said Michele Gates, director, Power and Propulsion Element at NASA's headquarters in Washington.
"Our goal here is to gather industry feedback on the draft solicitation to allow the broadcast of the final later this summer."
The power and propulsion element should also enable reliable and high-speed communications between the Earth and deep space, which will be important when spacewalk in space, from space to space, and from space to space. human exploration of the lunar surface, etc.
To meet the current development planning of Gateway, NASA aims to launch the power and propulsion element on a commercial rocket delivered by a partner in 2022.
The BAA project follows a synopsis published earlier this year for the power and propulsion component as well as the studies completed in March by five US companies to provide data on capabilities and business plans. current SEP. In addition to the BAA project, NASA will host an industry day next month before the publication of the final BAA.
NASA is returning to the Moon with commercial and international partners as part of an overall exploration campaign of the Agency in support of the Space Policy Directive 1. The BAA project is NASA's first call to acquire an item for the Gateway. Previous efforts will inform the development of the bridge.
More recently, NASA issued a request for information to better understand how the US industry would use or improve the gateway to support a growing space economy.
The agency also asked the industry for information regarding the technical use of the gateway to enable or develop the initial capabilities for human exploration, scientific and commercial activities in the region. deep space. Earlier this year, NASA also hosted a workshop to launch discussions on how the Gateway could create scientific value for robotic and human exploration in deep space.
Finally, work underway in the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships, or NextSTEP, which began in 2016, will support the Gateway's future housing capabilities. In addition to building housing prototypes, five companies under NextSTEP contracts also develop complete Gateway concepts.
"Since the directive was issued in December to return to the moon, the agency has made progress with robotic lunar and human exploration plans," said Jason Crusan, director of exploration systems. advanced, at NASA headquarters.
"It's an exciting time for us to work at NASA, and we look forward to working in partnership with the US industry and our international partners to lead the return to the moon and go beyond."
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