Manned landings followed, but after a few years, the US lost interest in lunar space flights. The proposed station, the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway – known as Gateway – will allow astronauts to develop techniques that will open up the lunar surface to exploration and exploitation. And key to operation of their lunar station will be the extraction, from lunar soil, of minerals, chemicals, and – most important – water. “A huge expertise was built up during the design and assembly of the International Space Station. We know the risks involved in building a space station and the technologies that will ensure that its construction will go smoothly.

Source: The Guardian September 22, 2018 13:01 UTC