Where Do We Go Next? Building the Deep Space Gateway

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NASA is working on developing a space station in a cis-lunar orbit that will serve as the jumping off point to exploring the Solar System; it’s known as the Deep Space Gateway.

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Chloe Cain - Instagram: @chloegwen2001

I don’t have to tell you that the vision of human space exploration in the Solar System has kind of stalled. Half a century ago, humans set foot on the Moon, and we haven’t been back since. Instead, we’ve thoroughly explored every cubic meter of low Earth orbit, going around and around the Earth. In fact, back in 2016, the International Space Station celebrated 100,000 orbits around the Earth.

The space shuttle was the last US vehicle capable of taking humans up into orbit, and it was retired back in 2011. So things look pretty bleak for sending humans out to explore the Solar System.

Earlier this year, however, NASA announced their next great step in their human space exploration efforts: the Deep Space Gateway. And if all goes well, we’ll see humans living and working farther from Earth, and for longer periods than ever before.

After the space shuttle program was wrapped up, NASA had a bunch of challenges facing it. Perhaps the greatest of these, was what to do with the enormous workforce that built and maintained the space shuttle fleet. Thousands were laid off, and moved to other aerospace jobs and other industries, but the space agency worked to develop the next big launch system after the shuttle.

Originally there were the Ares rockets, as part of the Constellation Program, but these were canceled and replaced with the Space Launch System. We’ve done a whole episode on the SLS, but the short version is that this new rocket will be capable of lifting more cargo into orbit than any rocket ever.

The first version, known as the Block 1 will be capable of lofting 70,000 kg into low-Earth orbit, while the upcoming Block 2 will be able to carry 130,000 kg into LEO - more than the mighty Saturn V rocket.

What are you going to do with a rocket this powerful? Launch new space telescopes, robotic missions to the outer Solar System, and put humans into space, of course.

In addition to the SLS, NASA is also working on a new capsule, known as the Orion Crew Module. This Apollo-esque capsule will be capable of carrying a crew of 4 astronauts out beyond low-Earth orbit, and returning them safely back to Earth.

But if you can send astronauts out beyond low-Earth orbit, where will they go?

The Deep Space Gateway.
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Constellation: Cancelled.
Asteroid Redirect Mission: Cancelled.
Deep Space Gateway: Awaiting cancellation?

The waste of money I can live with, it's the waste of time that really bothers me. Decades pass and we're not getting anywhere...

Some of the graphics you used were from the Asteroid Redirect Mission. NASA didn't even bother making new graphics? Same shit, new name and even they themselves don't care?

zapfanzapfan
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land on Mars and "visit the spaceX luxury Martian hotel"

:)

earthandfire
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I'm 24 years old and I hope I live enough to see humans setting foot on Mars...Come on humans!

mrthomaschannelearth
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If only NASA had the budget of the US military..

interlake
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I think SpaceX will be to Mars long before NASA gets there....

CTFreeman
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they will be canceled. just like every other fucking plan in the last 40 years of humans being in space other then the ISS and space shuttle. i just don't feel thrilled for these anymore. i will cheer when i see them actually sitting on the launch pad.

AstraPlanetshine
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What ever happened to the Bigelow modules?
Seems like a much more viable option to the Deep Space Gateway, especially being so cramped and all.

deanwcampbell
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It sucks I'm 48 years old I'll probably never see any of this the way we're doing it it's taking forever we should have been halfway there if not all the way there already

kturob
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Don't you find it sad that all the good space missions will happen when you're gone? Makes me think "Ah whats the point...?".

rgraph
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Sounds nice but it would probably be a lot cheaper and provide a lot more space for astronauts and equipment to use improved shielded Bigelow B330's or one BA 2100 ! It seems like we are spending unbelievable amounts of money to try and upgrade old technologies and systems instead of learning from them and being more innovative with new system that have learned from those older technologies!

jamescollins
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I am 50 years young African American male native and resident of Colorado. I am also mentally challenged but, I do manage to attend online college and am majoring in Space Studies. I am deffo and totes passionate about space, spacecraft in general and especially spacecraft propulsion technology! I love the concepts and plans for the future Gateway! It's my favorite part of the Artemis Program besides the Orion Space Capsule itself! I especially like the fact the Gateway will be mobile via its propulsion element system. I truly hope that both as well as the entire Artemis program will be highly successful and go beyond everyone's wildest dreams and expectations. Mr. Cain, I truly enjoy your educational and exciting videos. Your video on solar sails is my favorite one to date!

adamsapp
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10:00 D'oh! A deer, a female deer.

Master_Therion
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So how many miles does the ISS have on it and is it past its oil change?

Jefff
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How is it called 'deep space gateway' if it's to explore the solar system? I thought deep space referred to everything outside the solar system.

TheExoplanetsChannel
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What's the purpose of a Martian flyby? What is there that humans can do from orbit that probes cannot?

SonOfFurzehatt
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DSG kinda boring and way too far in the future. I hope other countries and private companies start to kick ass so they make NASA jealous. Another Great video though!

Disasterina
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So the notification and dropped everything and clicked so glad someones finally doing a video on this!

scottzgoldin
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This sounds like such a waste of money. How about getting some tether tests done again? Its been done once and it was successful, so lets dedicate some actual time to simulating reduced gravity, Martian and lunar, and breed animals and grow plants et al. And thats for a fraction of the price

NicosMind
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its like waiting for your favorite t.v series, that takes a year to put out a episode.
:/

duckgoesquack
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My opinion. Speed it up a bit, make it a bit larger and try adding a ring to fake gravity(even if it just for experiments as it will be useful long-term)

tsareric