Lunar Gateway: a Major Expansion for the European Lunar View Module

MILAN — On October 14, during the 2024 International Astronautical Congress, the European Space Agency and Thales Alenia Space signed an important partnership for a significant expansion of the capabilities of the Gateway’s European module Lunar View.

*Rendering of the Lunar View module. Credits: NASA*

Scheduled to be launched with the Artemis V mission onboard an SLS Block 1B, Lunar View will be a key element of the future lunar space station. In fact, the ESA refueling module will provide fuel for the station’s propulsion needs, such as attitude control and orbit change, and over the next 15 years, it will operate around the Moon. The module will also include a pressurized space, equipped with six large windows, that astronauts will use to store supplies and enjoy a breathtaking 360° view.

A big enhancement

The new version of the Lunar View will be 6.4 m long, and 4.6 m wide, with a total mass of 10 metric tons. Originally it was designed to carry up to 6 metric tons.

The upgrades of the module will allow it to carry a significant additional payload at launch, up to 1.5 tons. Furthermore, Lunar View will have two external grapple points to host the Canadian Canadarm3 robotic arm. Inside the module, a storage area for avionics equipment will be installed to allow for easier maintenance.

*Structure of the Lunar Gateway. Credits: ESA*

Once carried towards the Gateway, Lunar View will connect with ESA’s Lunar I-Hab, NASA’s Power and Propulsion Element (PPE), and NASA’s Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), to which ESA’s Lunar Lik will be attached.

ESA has selected Thales Alenia Space France as the lead contractor to develop the module, which is currently in its preliminary design phase. After that, it will move into a detailed design phase followed by production. The pressurized structure will be built in Turin by Thales Alenia Space Italia, with additional contributions from Thales Alenia Space UK and OHB. Once completed, the module will undergo testing before being delivered to NASA for launch preparation.

The Gateway

Initially proposed in 2012, the ambitious Gateway project has undergone many changes over the years, and due to its complexity and the challenges of the Artemis program, it has also faced many delays. It was first scheduled to be launched in 2022, but now it will likely reach the Moon after 2027.

The Lunar Gateway will be a space station orbiting in a halo orbit around the Moon. Its mission will be to support activities on the surface of our satellite and to develop new technologies for the future exploration of Mars. The project is the result of cooperation between various space agencies and companies.

The Habitation and Logistic Outpost (HALO) and the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) will be the first modules to be launched, onboard a Falcon Heavy rocket. HALO, built by Northrop Grumman, will be a habitational module based on the Cygnus cargo spacecraft. The Lunar International Habitation Module (I-HAB) is the result of a partnership between ESA and JAXA.