The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has finalised a $935-million firm fixed-price contract with major US aerospace group Northrop Grumman for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (Halo) module of the Gateway outpost. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman will be responsible for completing the design and development work on Halo that it is already carrying out. It will then also integrate the Halo with the Gateway power and propulsion element (PPE) module, which is being built by Maxar Technologies.

“This action puts in place the final contract component of a diverse, multi-faceted team – distributed across the country and within some international partner facilities – working together to create and implement the initial Gateway capability,” explained Nasa Halo project manager Dr Jon Olansen. “We are excited to work with Northrop Grumman and all the partners to deliver the cornerstone of sustainable human exploration in cis-lunar space.”

Gateway is partly a space station and partly a spacecraft; it will orbit the Moon but, thanks to the PPE, be able to change its orbital trajectory and altitude, as operationally required. Gateway is a key element of Nasa’s Artemis programme, to return humans to the Moon. Halo will provide pressurised living quarters for astronauts visiting it (they will often be en route to or from the lunar surface) and command and control facilities for the entire Gateway. Halo will also be fitted with three docking ports for spacecraft from Earth (both crewed vessels and robot resupply craft) and lunar landing (and return) vehicles.

“This is a major step on the path for Artemis, not just for Nasa, but for the combined team, including our commercial and international partners,” highlighted Nasa associate administrator for human explorations and operations Kathy Lueders. “Gateway will provide unprecedented access to the Moon and symbolises the expansion of partnerships into deep space.”

The Halo will be based on Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus robot cargo spacecraft, used to carry supplies to the International Space Station since 2014. “By leveraging our active Cygnus production line, Northrop Grumman can uniquely provide an affordable and reliable Halo module, in the timeframe needed to support Nasa’s Artemis programme,” affirmed company VP civil and commercial satellites Steve Krein. “Our team looks forward to continuing our collaboration with Nasa in order to overcome the technical challenges associated with the harsh radiation and thermal environment of lunar space, as well as the unique challenge of hosting visiting crews for extended durations in this environment.”

The Artemis programme, and the Gateway project, are not so much Nasa initiatives as Nasa-led initiatives. International partners are playing key roles, the US agency pointed out. Thus, for example, the Canadian Space Agency will provide Halo with robotic interfaces that will be able to host payloads or provide base points for robotic Canadarm3 operations. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will provide the batteries that will power the Halo until the PPE can deploy its solar arrays – and also afterwards, during eclipse periods. The lunar communications system between Gateway and the Moon’s surface will be provided by the European Space Agency (ESA). In due course, ESA will also provide Gateway with a refuelling module and ESA and JAXA will jointly provide an international habitat module.