Gateway with Orion docked with I-Hab

Artist’s impression of the lunar Gateway. Its flight path is a highly-elliptical orbit around the Moon – bringing it both relatively close to the Moon’s surface but also far away making it easier to pick up astronauts and supplies from Earth – around a five-day trip.

The Gateway will enable sustainable exploration around – and on – the Moon, while enabling research and demonstrating the technologies and processes necessary to conduct a future mission to Mars. ESA’s contribution to this international endeavour includes building the main habitat for astronauts when they visit the Gateway, known as I-Hab (the white cylindrical module with Orion spacecraft docked).

A second contribution called ESPRIT (European System Providing Refueling, Infrastructure and Telecommunications) will supply enhanced communications, refuelling capability and a window, similar to the European-built Cupola observatory on the International Space Station.

European astronauts will join international colleagues to travel to and work on the Gateway. They will fly to the outpost on NASA’s Orion spacecraft powered by European Service Modules that provide electricity, water, air and a comfortable temperature for the astronauts (bottom right).

More about the Gateway at www.esa.int/gateway