Japan to help NASA develop the Lunar Gateway

The Japanese space agency is partnering with NASA to build the Lunar Gateway. That is a space station that has to orbit the moon, and can be used as a base for moon landings.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Japanese equivalent of NASA, has released a statement confirming its participation in the Lunar Gateway. Incidentally, the space agency had previously expressed its intention to participate in the project. As a partner of NASA, Japan will engage in technical support, including batteries, air conditioning and oxygen systems, reports The Japan Times.

Japan has not yet confirmed that it will also contribute to the construction of the Lunar Gateway. The space agency is said to be concerned about the costs and only want to decide on this at a later stage.

The Lunar Gateway is a proposal from NASA to build an equivalent of the International Space Station to be put into orbit around the moon. Astronauts could then stay there, and use the Gateway as a base for moon landings. The station could also be used on transit to Mars; from the Lunar Gateway, a journey to Mars could be completed in 300 to 400 days.