Nasa's Lunar Gateway Space Station

This is my MOC of NASA’s Lunar Gateway Space Station. This station will be the first of its kind, orbiting the Moon above LEO (low Earth orbit), and providing a constant human presence in space. The Gateway Space Station will replace the aging ISS (International Space Station), scheduled for decommissioning in 2030-2031. The Lunar Gateway is part of NASA's Artemis program (Set #10431) that will explore the Moon and be the launching point for future missions to Mars. The station has been designed to provide for power generation, communications, experimental laboratories, and astronaut habitation to support the Artemis Accords: a set of guidelines to create an Outer Space Treaty between countries for space exploration. The primary mission of the station is to support collaborative efforts of robotic and crewed exploration of the Moon's South Pole. Terran scientists have prioritized this location because it may contain ice within the permanently shadowed areas of large craters. The discovery of "Moon Ice" will provide the necessary building blocks to create drinking water, oxygen, and hydrogen (a key component in making rocket fuel) to support lunar colonization.

Similar to the current International Space Station sponsor system, NASA has successfully negotiated with other space agencies to support the construction, maintenance, and future upgrades to the Lunar Gateway Station. Major agency contributors are the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).  Each of these Space Agencies has committed to providing one or more key elements that will make up the Space Station. The currently planned Lunar Gateway Space Station configuration includes the PPE (Power and Propulsion Element), HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), I-HAB (International Habitat), ESPRIT Refueler, Logistics Module, and Airlock modules

LEGO has a history of honoring NASA's commitment to space exploration. Although this Space Station is still years away from fruition, I was motivated to create this model to add to my existing collection of LEGO space sets. For other space enthusiasts, as well as fans of LEGO, this build would provide another unique addition to the previously released LEGO space sets. It would be a complimentary set to the ISS, Lunar Rover, Space Shuttle, Saturn V, Artemis SLS, Space Astronaut, Mars Rover, and other LEGO space sets.

This model was created solely from images found on the internet. Many modules are still in the conceptual phase with various iterations. The majority of available images didn’t have views from all sides which allowed for some creative imagination during the build. I found it challenging to maintain the cylindrical shapes while allowing for greebles and supporting attachments. 

I hope you enjoy my first MOC submission to LEGO IDEAS!

Model Specifications

Height: 14" = 35.5 cm

Width: 12" = 30.5 cm

Length: 15" = 38 cm

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