Artistic vision of the platform for the lunar space station under construction
NASA is actively seeking partners to deliver cargo to the future lunar space station at a distance of 400,000 km. This week the agency is open to review proposals and negotiations with companies. By November 2, all the necessary materials for discussion should be received.
NASA is developing its own lunar space platform, which is to enter the lunar orbit and receive astronauts in the mid-2020s. But the current negotiations are needed to make sure that the agency is ready for the mission and that there are commercial partners.
Now NASA is looking for companies that will be interested in the transportation of both compressed and untight cargo. These missions will resemble those that perform the SpaceX Dragon capsule on the ISS. The agency expects the acquisition of at least three missions for the delivery of cargo. The first is scheduled for 2024 and will include a robotic arm provided by an international partner. At NASA, they are not yet ready to hire a contractor, as the agency is still collecting additional information about interested companies, as well as checking factors that may affect readiness and price. The station will be built during the first two cargo missions, which means NASA is looking for a module capable of operating in two modes: storage and delivery of cargo, as well as work as a garbage bin.
For launches they will use commercial rockets, as well as their own giant Space Launch System, which is to be tested in 2020. The agency is trying to send people deeper into the solar system, so ambitious targets need to create an orbital station near the moon.
