NASA's Gateway moon-orbiting space station explained in pictures

(Image credit: Boeing)
1) Introduction

NASA's next crewed station in space will be located near the moon. Crews will be able to stay for up to three months at the lunar Gateway station. They can conduct science experiments farther away from Earth, support surface missions, and possibly even do engineering work like telerobotics.

This gallery outlines some of Gateway's main components and history. It also explains what the Gateway could be used for in future. NASA is planning to send astronauts to Gateway in 2020, possibly to support the Artemis moon landing program. Artemis had hoped to land a moon colonist in 2024, but an August 2021 Office of the Inspector General report stated that this goal was "impossible" due spacesuit development delays. There may be more timeline changes.

Related: NASA's Grand Plan for a Lunar Gateway Starts Small