Gateway, illustrated here, will serve as a crucial part of Artemis’ upcoming missions. Illustration: NASA
President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have further consolidated their plans to send a Japanese astronaut to the nearby lunar space station, while asserting the possibility that a Japanese astronaut will walk on the moon during future space missions. Artemis.
Biden and Kishida met in Tokyo on Monday to continue talks on an implementation agreement that could potentially place a Japanese astronaut on the Gateway space station. Leaders also reaffirmed each country’s commitment to sharing data on climate change. The Gateway staff discussion is part of ongoing US-Japan talks about NASA’s upcoming missions to the moon.
Gateway is an integral part of NASA’s biggest effort to return to the moon, a series of upcoming missions known as the Artemis program. Once built, Gateway will serve as an outpost in orbit of the Moon providing support to astronauts destined for the Moon for their visit. The lunar space station, in addition to serving as critical infrastructure for Artemis missions, will also serve as a starting point for future manned missions to Mars. The first pieces of the next lunar station will be launched no earlier than November 2024.
“In recent years, the alliance between Japan and the United States has become stronger, deeper and more capable as we work together to meet new challenges, as important as opportunities, in a changing world. quickly, “President Biden said. a NASA press release.
Japan and the United States are also interested in placing a Japanese astronaut on the surface of the moon during an Artemis mission yet to be determined, according to a White House briefing. NASA is looking to land astronauts at the lunar south pole in 2025, and Artemis will be involved in the first manned missions to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement: ” “Our shared ambition to see Japanese and American astronauts walk. The Moon together reflects the shared values of our nations to explore space responsibly and transparently for the benefit of humanity here on Earth.”
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While the first pieces of Gateway are still a few years away from launch, the United States and Japan coming together is an opportunity to involve more nations. Artemis missions will be a global endeavor, and returning to the moon represents an exciting next step in space exploration and engineering.
More: This small satellite connected to the moon could cut a path for a lunar space station.