Trump calls for a $2.7B space station to orbit the moon

[left-of-center2012]

The lunar gateway was one of several projects funded in President Donald Trump's $19.9 billion NASA budget proposal for fiscal year 2019, which places a heavy emphasis on human exploration.

The budget plan allocates $10.5 billion to human exploration, while cutting a number of climate change-related missions and the agency's $99.3 million education office.

About $2.7 billion would go toward building the platform through the 2023 fiscal year under Trump's proposal, with $504.2 million set aside in the coming year. Congress still must approve the budget.

A lot more on this project at: https://tinyurl.com/y9rcrdo7

[left-of-center2012]

1. Meanwhile ...

Got to cut Medicaid, food stamps, heating assistance for the poor, housing subsidies, etc.

[Vinca]

2. I will only be in favor of this if his office is moved to it.

[longship]

3. It's actually a very good idea.

It connects us to the interplanetary superhighway. By having a space station at an Earth/Moon Lagrange point, we would have a way to the rest of the planets and beyond using a minimum of resources.

Science rules!

[zipplewrath]

4. Moon base first

We really need a low earth orbit fueling station first. Then a moon base. From there we can fling the building materials needed to build a large colony at a Lagrangian point (Probably L5) which can serve as a launching platform for interplanetary missions.

[longship]

5. Well, look at this one.

L5 is a bit of a challenge, whereas the gateway's near rectilinear halo orbit is more easily accomplished. Plus, it provides more direct access to both cis-lunar space and Earth than L5, in addition to connection to the interplanetary superhighway. Once a spaceship is docked at the gateway, it will naturally be carried via the halo orbit very close to the moon. Easy-peasey!

It's a win-win.

We get Moon Base Alpha because of the gateway, not in spite of it.