About six times smaller than the current International Space Station (ISS), the Gateway lunar outpost will be assembled one module at a time from 2026 thanks to NASA launchers and the private sector. The first two sections will be the propulsion module and the habitation outpost.
<q data-attributes=""lang":"value":"fr","label":"Français","value":"html":"La SSI est en orbite autour de la Terre à 400km, while Gateway will be in orbit around the Moon about 1000times further, at 400000km from Earth”,”text”:”The ISS is in orbit around the Earth at 400km, while the Gateway will be in orbit around the Moon about 1,000 times farther, at 400,000km from Earth””>The ISS orbits the Earth at 400 km, while the Gateway will orbit the Moon about 1,000 times farther, 400,000 km from Earthexplains Stéphane Desjardins, Project Manager, Space Exploration at the CSA.
Gateway will serve as a starting point for manned and robotic missions to the Moon, as a scientific and technological laboratory, but also as a stopover point and control center for missions to the Moon.
Eventually, it could become the starting point for Martian missions.
The station will accommodate up to four astronauts. Gateway will not be permanently inhabited like the ISS. Astronauts will only be there a few months a year depending on the missions
notes Stéphane Desjardins.
Currently, NASA plans at least one manned mission per year to the orbital station in which astronauts can stay for up to three months.
For this reason, robotics will take a prominent place. Canada is supplying the program with Canadarm3, the third version of its robotic arm which will now be intelligent, allowing it to operate much more autonomously.
« All of the maintenance, repair and inspection tasks of the Gateway station, and even scientific experiments, will be carried out by the intelligent robotic system. »
The Canadarm3 has two arms, a large one 8.5 m long and a smaller one much more agile.
Artistic illustration of Canadarm3.Photo : NASA/ESA
He can even make certain decisions when he is not controlled by the crew. Not only will Canadarm3 maintain itself, it will be able to repair itself
enthuses Mr. Desjardins, who adds that artificial intelligence is incorporated from the design of the software.
Also, the big arm will be able to grab spaceships or move station modules in space, while the small one will be able to move equipment and tools around the station.
The movement of Canadarm3 will be made possible thanks to a system of several dozen terminals, mechanical interfaces that are also designed and manufactured in Canada, and which will be sent with the first modules in 2024.
Artistic impression of the Canadarm3 that will be at Gateway station.Photo : NASA/ASC
These electrified mechanical interfaces will allow Canadarm3 to position itself to perform its tasks.
<q data-attributes=""lang":"value":"fr","label":"Français","value":"html":"Il va pouvoir se déplacer d’une borne à l’autre en se fixant à l’une et en se détachant de l’autre. Un peu comme un slinky would move on a staircase.”,”text”:”He will be able to move from one terminal to another by attaching to one and detaching from the other. Kind of like a slinky moving up a flight of stairs.””>He will be able to move from one terminal to another by attaching to one and detaching from the other. A bit like a slinky would move up a flight of stairs.
Current plans call for the Canadarm to be delivered to the station in 2027, but the timeline could still change.
Unlike previous versions, the Canadarm3 will be controlled entirely from Canada
mentions Mr. Desjardins.