The first space port in lunar orbit will be created?

If all goes according to plan, construction of a lunar orbital station will begin in the near future. The creation of such a spaceport was discussed at a meeting of leading space agencies in Japan.

Experts from NASA, together with partners involved in the International Space Station (ISS) project, at a meeting in Tsukuba, Japan, omówili plans to build a lunar orbital station. The planned spaceport is to be m.In. The transfer station in the suborbitalólive on Mars.

The construction of a space „cosmodrome” is to be one of the most important stepsóon the way to the Red Planet. The need to build such a base in lunar orbit was noted by Igor Komarov, head of Roskosmos, as we wrote in the text: Roskosmos: there is a need to build a lunar orbital station. Last month, these issues discussedów were attended by representatives of the world’s five leading space agencies.

Detailedós of the project for a base on the Moon’s orbit, we have a chance to learn next year. Currently, space agencies with róThe conceptual plans created at home for the construction of such a facility are being reviewedówki.

The biggest challenge in the construction of a future lunar port is the development and construction of safe systemsóin life support and a closed system suitable for long-term habitation by station personnel.

Conflict of interestów

According to agreements with Tsukuba, construction of the station should begin around 2020. However, as is usually the case with wspóThe cooperation of several entitiesów there is a conflict of interestów. For example, an orbit has been established in Japan, after which theórej the station should move. The most favorable orbit would be close to an oval, whichóra will allow the spacecraft to approach the surface of the Silver Globe at a distance of 1,500 kilometersów. In this wayób communication with Earth would be facilitated, and also fuel consumption for course correction would be minimal. But the Russians want to embed the station in a slightly lower orbit, whichóra will allow a more thorough study of the Moon.

To mitigate the conflict of interestów NASA has proposed building a station thatóThe ra will consist of twoóchów capable of operating independently. In this case, one of them móheads would temporarily enter another orbit to perform research, while the other would remain in a fixed orbit around theól Moon.

If the mission to Mars and further exploration of the Solar System is to succeed, a spaceport in orbit of the Moon would greatly facilitate the task of the. However, the construction of the orbiting platform wokóThe Moon for further space missions is currently in the conceptual stage and there are no guarantees that such a station will be built.

The first designs for a space station in orbit around the moon were developed 10 years ago and were presented by the Russians. According to them, the station would consist of twoóch living quarters. In addition, it was planned to place one of the segmentsów on the surface of the Moon. During the announcement of the projectóIn 2007 it was assumed that such a station would be created by 2030.