People are one step closer to the dream of human habitation near the moon on September 27, when NASA and the Russian space Agency have approved a joint plan for space exploration in the future. Their project, which will be a continuation of the International space station (ISS), involves the placement of an object in orbit between the earth and the Moon, in Preluna space. It figures you see the cornerstone of deep space exploration, and calling: Deep Space Gateway, literally “portal to the deep space”.
The new missile-heavy NASA Space Launch System, which is still in development, will provide the construction of a DSG. Will help it a little less powerful, but has proven a Russian rocket “proton-M” and “Angara”. You should not see this partnership as involving only two parties, because the three other ISS partners (Europe, Japan and Canada) will also be involved with high probability.
Since “Apollo-17” back from the moon in 1972, no one went farther from home than before “low earth orbit”, which is located at an altitude of 400 kilometers in the case of the ISS.
The ISS was launched in 1998, and the station is constantly visited by crews since November 2000. Previously, the project planned to support up to 2020 but was extended to 2024 and may extend for another. But the ISS is aging – and many argue that its long overdue to be replaced. Today the station is estimated at $ 150 billion, expressed in cost of construction and maintenance of the station for so many years. It’s not cheap, but about as much humanity has spent on a lipstick in the same 20-year period.
We can expect comparable or greater value, in assessing the DSG project, which will start collecting in the mid-2020s, unless, of course, NASA will be able to bring up their rocket, the SLS, despite the difficulties with financing.
Orbit
Name DSG due to the fact that the station will be located outside the deepest part of the gravitational well of the Earth, the strongest part of the gravitational field of the planet, and therefore will need less energy to start the mission from there. Such a station would be a great starting point for expeditions to the moon and even Mars. Also it would be convenient to study samples (and quarantine them for the sake of planetary security), brought from Mars and other bodies.
Unlike the ISS, the DSG will not continually inhabited. The present plan includes one annual 42-day visit by a team of four members to begin with. When the station is empty, instruments on the DSG will continue to collect valuable scientific data, especially on the approach to the moon. The station will be accommodated in low lunar orbit, and at special points in space where the gravitational pull between the earth and the Moon is balanced. This will allow the station to follow close to a straight halo orbit. From the point of view of the moon DSG will repeatedly come to the same pole, offering excellent opportunities for scientific measurements.
The rest of the time DSG will be further away from the moon to the halo orbit relative to the position of the line moon — Earth Lagrange point L2. The balance of gravitational forces it allows you to “Park” the spacecraft to observe.
However, these orbits are only quasi-stable, therefore, to maintain the DSG in these areas will require adjustments to the station not blown away. Canadian space Agency proposes to use a solar sail for these purposes, not fuel. It’s a great idea, since the solar sail receiving the pulse from radiation, has really never been tested – so check them too. In addition to using them while maneuvering around the Solar system, the solar sails will one day be able to push the probes to other stars.
Competition
DSG is still very far from reality. However, it is a logical next step after the ISS – and any long-term multinational cooperative venture in space should be good, given the strife between Nations that is happening on the Ground. Maybe we will get to Mars, how would, after all, publicly funded projects are often limited in the Finance and private enterprise can great to overtake them. Take the same Big Fucking Rocket Elon musk. And this is only the first step. Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, he revealed his ambitious plans to establish a lunar base, followed by and a rocket to Mars by 2022.
In whatever form it may happen, of course, the lunar base will inspire the astronauts and cosmonauts on flights beyond low earth orbit. Reusable like DSG station somewhere near the Moon will offer many ways to learn how the moon and Earth with the Sun.
As the new lunar station will help us get to Mars and beyond?
Ilya Hel