NASA Heads Toward Critical Design Phase for First Elements of Gateway

NASA recently concluded its preliminary design review (PDR) on important elements of the Gateway lunar space station, enabling the program to proceed toward its critical design phase.

Gateway, a vital component of NASA's Artemis missions, is a space station that will serve as a cornerstone for NASA's deep space exploration plans for humans going to the Moon and beyond. The recent review focused on the first Gateway elements-the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO).

A PDR is a technical design review bringing together engineers and experts from across the Gateway program to discuss preliminary designs, risks, technical issues, and the path forward for every system and module. The review ensures the preliminary design of the PPE and HALO will effectively meet all mission requirements and objectives, ultimately supporting a long-term human presence on and around the Moon.

Completing a PDR for all Gateway subsystems as well as the integrated performance and safety for the spacecraft represents a key milestone for Gateway's developmental phase, indicating NASA successfully addressed the unique design challenges of a lunar space station.

Representatives from NASA, Gateway's international partners, commercial companies, and the program's independent review board participated in the PDR.

The PPE, a 60-kilowatt-class solar electric propulsion spacecraft built by Maxar Technologies, will provide power, high-speed communications, and attitude control for Gateway while in a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. HALO, which provides pressurized living quarters for Artemis astronauts visiting Gateway, is being designed by Northrop Grumman. HALO will support science investigations, provide cargo space for science and stowage, and house the ESA (European Space Agency) HALO Lunar Communication System, which will relay voice, data, and imagery between Gateway and lunar surface assets such as landers and rovers. PPE and HALO are key elements of Gateway and will launch together on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

To demonstrate extensibility for the rest of the integrated spacecraft, during the review, Gateway's international partners presented status of other key elements they will be providing.

PPE and HALO are the first elements of the integrated spacecraft (pictured). International partners will provide other elements: ESA-International Habitat and the European System Providing Refueling Infrastructure and Telecommunications, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency-Habitation Capabilities, and Canadian Space Agency-Canadarm3 robotic arm.

Following PDR, next steps for Gateway include closing out several actions resulting from the review before a board review this fall.

More on Gateway: https://www.nasa.gov/gateway.

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