SpaceX's Starship lunar lander for NASA's Artemis program might be too big to comfortably dock with the space agency's planned lunar space station, according to a fresh report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO undertook a study of the space station's mass constraints, and it concluded that two of its primary components, namely the habitation and logistics outpost (HALO) and the power and propulsion element (PPE), had a combined mass that was greater than their target. It was also found that the PPE might be unable to correctly steer the vehicle in case large vehicles such as SpaceX's Starship dock are on it since even though the PPE meets the performance requirements set by NASA, these do not consider the larger vehicles.
NASA Estimates That Starship's Mass Is 18x Greater Than Value Used To Develop Gateway Lunar Space Stations PPE
NASA currently has to launch its lunar space station, called Gateway, by 2027 or before the Artemis IV mission take to the skies. Artemis IV is planned to be the second crewed lunar landing flight of the Artemis program, and as of now, the mission is slated to take off in September 2028. The Gateway has to be in lunar orbit a year before Artemis IV's launch so that NASA can evaluate the space station and ensure all systems are in working order before a crew can board it.
According to the GAO, NASA's current baseline capability for Gateway's launch is December 2027, which is three months behind schedule. NASA plans to update its current cost and confidence level for Gateway in September this year to decide whether launching Artemis IV in September 2028 will allow it to meet all of the mission's objectives. The previous such analysis was carried out in May last year, and since then, the space agency has had to manage risks with the space station's habitability systems and communications network.
The GAO identified mass as another key constraint with the Gateway program. This includes both the mass of the space station and the mass of some vehicles that might dock with it. The report shares that the combined mass of the logistics and the propulsion elements of the space station are above the mass requirements set by NASA. It also adds that the mass of some vehicles might leave the propulsion element unable to steer the space station according to the mission profile, which could end up affecting its missions.
A higher mass means that NASA will have to fly some Gateway components separately to ensure that the space station can be placed in the correct orbit. The other option will be to reduce mass by removing components. Both of these come with trade offs, as flying the components separately will be costly, while reducing components will impact the space station's performance.
Ironically, while Gateway might be above the mass requirements, its PPE still isn't powerful enough to manage heavier spacecraft when docked with the station. This affects the station's ability to maintain its orbit and the correct orientation for communications with Earth. Both are key for mission success and according to NASA managers quoted by the GAO, while the PPE is meeting the requirements set during the design phase, these are insufficient for vehicles such as SpaceX's Starship, whose mass is 18 times greater than the PPE's design capability.
As of now, the GAO shares that NASA plans to have visiting vehicles share some of the PPE's work for Starship to control the station. The agency is also considering a software upgrade to effectively manage the station's thrusters. If both are unsuccessful, then NASA could change the PPE's design and introduce added costs and schedule constraints to the Gateway program.
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
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