Benefits of a Gateway Spacecraft in Sustainable Lunar Exploration

摘要

Human spaceflight is readying for its next big step and imminent decisions will shape the path of space exploration for decades to come. Discussion of the next step in human space exploration is ongoing around the world. NASA had advocated for Mars to be the primary goal with options for lunar exploration by other partners but has recently shifted more focus to initial lunar exploration. NASA introduced the concept of a Gateway spacecraft orbiting the moon as an enabler of all human exploration options. Support for the use of a Gateway as the first step towards all future exploration has grown worldwide and now seems to have gained consensus. In this environment, it is useful to examine the role of a Gateway in lunar exploration and the impacts of various choices in an international exploration architecture. The Gateway, a small human-tended facility orbiting around the Moon, supports human and robotic lunar exploration in a manner that creates opportunities for multiple sectors to advance key goals. The lunar vicinity is an ideal location for exploration of the moon. It can support lunar exploration spacecraft parking, refueling, and refurbishment, serve as a point for direct observation of the lunar surface, and serve as a center of control for robotic surface assets. It is, similarly, ideal for Mars missions by offering a location for the outfitting and aggregation of Mars transit vehicles and a place to refuel and restore vehicles that have returned from Mars. Direct exploration of the lunar surface, i.e. not through the Gateway, will be an option that could appear to have a lower cost. However, direct exploration does not create any residual architecture for use in future endeavors. While the Apollo program was a crowning achievement in US spaceflight, it left no residual assets behind for future use. This approach has left us now in the position of having to start future lunar exploration from scratch. Investing in a robust and sustainable architecture, includ