chapter. The first two parts, under development for several years, were designed for
the cancelled Constellation program, while LOP-G was only conceived a couple of
years ago. Today, after the cancellation of the Asteroid Redirect Mission, the gateway constitutes the only project for which completing the SLS and Orion still makes
sense for NASA. According to former NASA’s Associate Administrator William
Gerstenmaier, the LOP-G is fundamental to achieving the ambitious goals set by the
first presidential directive on space policy – namely to explore the Moon and Mars
by making space operations between Earth and its natural satellite feasible.
23
Since SLS and Orion already cost NASA over $4 billion per year, the future
space station cannot be too complicated or expensive. The right structure for the
LOP-G seems to a few pressurized modules able to fly automatically for most of
the time, hosting the astronauts only for short periods. To optimize the complex
space mission, which must integrate the various elements under construction,
NASA has decided to place the LOP-G on a particular lunar orbit that is reachable
by Orion, called Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). There, the outpost will
take six days to complete a full orbit while always remaining visible from Earth.
In practice, it will travel a trajectory between 1,900 miles and 43,000 miles away
from the Moon near one Lagrange point, where the balance of the gravitational
forces of the two celestial bodies will ensure its orbital stability.
In Washington, many question the need to keep developing Orion and SLS,
given that private companies are creating alternatives that are probably cheaper
and more efficient. But as long as the two are operational, the federal programs
will continue, as they guarantee tens of thousands of jobs in the states of influential members of Congress.
Official statements aside, it has yet to be clarified how much the LOP-G can
really be the fundamental step for the future human exploration of the Moon and
Mars. In fact, NASA has somehow separated the Artemis program from the LOPG.
24
Instead, the LOP-G is framed by the American long-term strategy in which
space dominance is maintained with a new type of orbital operations and a different approach in the protection of satellites. It is plausible that the LOP-G represents
the technological step necessary to operate in deep space, in contrast with future
rival stations in low Earth orbit.
This means we could soon find ourselves in a situation in which geopolitical,
sociological and technological changes have already reached the so-called The
Tipping Point,
25
well described by Malcolm Gladwell in his bestseller book twenty
23
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-lunar-outpost-will-extend-human-presence-in-deepspace.
24
https://spacenews.com/nasa-refines-plans-for-launching-gateway-and-other-artemis-elements/.
25
Gladwell, Malcom. 2002. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
Boston: Little Brown & Company.
126 Mars: Next Stop?
the cancelled Constellation program, while LOP-G was only conceived a couple of
years ago. Today, after the cancellation of the Asteroid Redirect Mission, the gateway constitutes the only project for which completing the SLS and Orion still makes
sense for NASA. According to former NASA’s Associate Administrator William
Gerstenmaier, the LOP-G is fundamental to achieving the ambitious goals set by the
first presidential directive on space policy – namely to explore the Moon and Mars
by making space operations between Earth and its natural satellite feasible.
23
Since SLS and Orion already cost NASA over $4 billion per year, the future
space station cannot be too complicated or expensive. The right structure for the
LOP-G seems to a few pressurized modules able to fly automatically for most of
the time, hosting the astronauts only for short periods. To optimize the complex
space mission, which must integrate the various elements under construction,
NASA has decided to place the LOP-G on a particular lunar orbit that is reachable
by Orion, called Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). There, the outpost will
take six days to complete a full orbit while always remaining visible from Earth.
In practice, it will travel a trajectory between 1,900 miles and 43,000 miles away
from the Moon near one Lagrange point, where the balance of the gravitational
forces of the two celestial bodies will ensure its orbital stability.
In Washington, many question the need to keep developing Orion and SLS,
given that private companies are creating alternatives that are probably cheaper
and more efficient. But as long as the two are operational, the federal programs
will continue, as they guarantee tens of thousands of jobs in the states of influential members of Congress.
Official statements aside, it has yet to be clarified how much the LOP-G can
really be the fundamental step for the future human exploration of the Moon and
Mars. In fact, NASA has somehow separated the Artemis program from the LOPG.
24
Instead, the LOP-G is framed by the American long-term strategy in which
space dominance is maintained with a new type of orbital operations and a different approach in the protection of satellites. It is plausible that the LOP-G represents
the technological step necessary to operate in deep space, in contrast with future
rival stations in low Earth orbit.
This means we could soon find ourselves in a situation in which geopolitical,
sociological and technological changes have already reached the so-called The
Tipping Point,
25
well described by Malcolm Gladwell in his bestseller book twenty
23
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-lunar-outpost-will-extend-human-presence-in-deepspace.
24
https://spacenews.com/nasa-refines-plans-for-launching-gateway-and-other-artemis-elements/.
25
Gladwell, Malcom. 2002. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
Boston: Little Brown & Company.
126 Mars: Next Stop?