“The agency intends to halt the Gateway project in its current form and instead focus on infrastructure that will enable sustained operations on the lunar ,”
He added, “Despite the challenges facing the operation of some existing equipment, the agency will repurpose appropriate equipment and will leverage the commitments of international partners to support these objectives.”.
Future missions to Mars
The European Space Agency, along with other international organizations, was among the partners in the Gateway project.
This latest change to NASA's plans comes after modifications to the Artemis program, which aims to return American astronauts to the moon and establish a long-term presence there, in preparation for future missions to Mars.
The Gateway lunar orbital station was intended to serve as a transit point for astronauts heading to the moon, and a platform for research.
The suspension of the initiative was not surprising, as some criticized it as a threat to resources or a distraction from other ambitions related to missions to the moon.
