UAE to provide airlock for NASA's lunar space station

NASA and the United Arab Emirates' Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre have signed an agreement for the latter to provide an airlock for the Crew and Science Airlock module for the Gateway Space Station - humanity's first lunar space station.

The airlock will allow crew and science research transfers to and from the habitable environment of Gateway's pressurized crew modules to the vacuum of space. These transfers will support broader science in the deep space environment, as well as Gateway maintenance.

The airlock is a vital component of the Artemis lunar Gateway that will facilitate the movement of crew members and scientific equipment between the habitable environment of the station's pressurized crew modules and the space vacuum. This transfer process will enable broader exploration and scientific research in deep space environments, as well as support the maintenance of Gateway.

As part of the agreement, NASA will fly a UAE astronaut to fly to the lunar Gateway on a future Artemis mission. Additionally, MBRSC will provide engineering support for the life of the lunar space station.

"The United States and the United Arab Emirates are marking a historic moment in our nations’ collaboration in space, and the future of human space exploration. We are in a new era of exploration through Artemis – strengthened by the peaceful and international exploration of space. The UAE's provision of the airlock to Gateway will allow astronauts to conduct groundbreaking science in deep space and prepare to one day send humanity to Mars," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Big news: To the Moon, together.@MBRSpaceCentre will provide Gateway’s airlock, and @NASA will fly a UAE astronaut to Gateway on a @NASAArtemis mission. More: https://t.co/4IIGrkj0br pic.twitter.com/JlPWeS6hls

— NASA's Gateway Program (@NASA_Gateway) January 7, 2024

NASA's lunar Gateway will be a multi-purpose outpost orbiting the Moon. It will provide essential support for lunar missions, a destination for science, and serve as a staging point for further deep space exploration.