03/04/2024
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ESA gives new names to its key contributions to the lunar Gateway, which is set to become the first space station around the Moon.
The Gateway will support the most distant human space missions ever attempted. Whereas the International Space Station orbits Earth, the Gateway will orbit the Moon, acting as a base for scientific research of the deep space environment, a host for technology development and demonstration experiments, as well as a staging post supporting exploration missions to the lunar surface and beyond.
ESA is contributing three key elements to the Gateway; these were previously known as I-Hab, ESPRIT Refuelling Module (ERM) and ESPRIT HALO-Lunar Communication System (HLCS). Now they have been renamed: Lunar I-Hab, Lunar View and Lunar Link.
Lunar I-Hab
The I-Hab module will now be known as Lunar I-Hab, to align with its lunar-focused mission. This pressurised habitation module will provide essential living quarters for astronauts visiting the Gateway, space to run experiments and docking ports for visiting vehicles. Together with NASA’s Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module, there will be enough room on the station for four astronauts staying up to three months at a time.
Lunar View
Formerly known as ERM, the new name Lunar View pays homage to the module’s unique feature: its windows, which will offer astronauts breathtaking views of space and the lunar surface. As well as providing docking ports for visiting vehicles, this refuelling module will supply propellant to the Gateway, transport cargo to the station and provide storage space.
Lunar Link
ESPRIT HLCS has been renamed Lunar Link to celebrate the element’s crucial role in telecommunications for the Gateway. Lunar Link will facilitate communication services between the station and lunar assets on and around the Moon, such as rovers, human landers and satellites. The system will be installed on NASA’s HALO module.
Forward to the Moon
The Gateway will be assembled this decade, built as part of the Artemis programme in an international collaboration between ESA, NASA and the space agencies of Canada (CSA), Japan (JAXA) and the United Arab Emirates (MBRSC).