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Russia might create transport system for Deep Space Gateway

News of the plans for creating a lunar station emerged in the spring of 2016

MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. Russia considers creating a gateway and transport system as a contribution to the international program for developing a near-moon station Deep Space Gateway, press service of S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia told TASS.

"Energia and Roscosmos are currently actively interact with space agencies and foreign partners to work out the concept of the program, its target missions, possible elements provided by partners, and interface standards," the press service said.

"As a contribution of the Russian side, along with the future transport system, a gateway module is considered that will provide meaningful functions for the targeted use. In addition, it is possible to develop other elements of the platform together with partners," Energia said.

At the initial stage, the main Deep Space Gateway modules should be created - these are the partners' contributions, joint crews of manned ships should also be formed and the first expeditions.

"In the near future, we plan to form a common vision of the program with partners," the press service said, adding that besides the need to work out technical issues, the structure of the program needs to be formed.

It was reported earlier that at the International Astronautical Congress in Australia heads of the Russian and US space agencies have agreed on joint efforts to create Deep Space Gateway (DSG) station.

News of the plans for creating a lunar station emerged in the spring of 2016. Two options of a lunar station were proposed - one having two smaller inhabitable modules and the other with one bigger module. Both concepts imply that up to four cosmonauts would be able to work on board the station at any one time. Future missions’ duration was estimated at 30 days to 360 days. Flights to the station would be made once a year.

Two options of a future station’s position are considered: one in a high elliptical orbit and the other in a low orbit about 100 kilometers above the Moon’s surface. One will allow for sending probes into deep space and the other, for expeditions to the Moon’s surface.

Earlier, Energia corporation suggested a lunar orbital platform might begin to be created at the end of 2022 and the first crew sent to it in the first half of 2025.

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