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ga('create', 'UA-58349124-1', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script>  </head> <body> <div id="wrapper"> <div id="title"> <a class="home" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/"></a> <h1>Spaceflight Insider</h1> </div> <input type="checkbox" id="nav-trigger" class="nav-trigger"/> <label for="nav-trigger"></label> <ul id="nav"> <li class="toggle disabled"><a href="#" class="brightness" title="Toggle Brightness"><span><span></span></span></a></li> <input type="checkbox" id="search-trigger" class="search-trigger"/> <label for="search-trigger"></label> <li class="search"> <form role="search" method="get" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/"> <input type="search" placeholder="Search" name="s"> <button type="submit">Search</button> </form> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/search">Search</a> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/archive">Archive</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/gallery">Gallery</a></li> <li><a class="feature" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/launch-schedule">Launch Schedule</a></li> <li><a class="feature" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/mission-monitor">Mission Monitor</a></li> <li><a class="feature" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/hangar">The Hangar</a></li> <ul class="social"> <li><a class="facebook" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spaceflight-Group/254774621252230" title="Add us on Facebook"> </a></li> <li><a class="twitter" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/http://www.twitter.com/spaceflightins" title="Follow us on Twitter"> </a></li> <li><a class="youtube" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/http://www.youtube.com/spaceflightgroup" title="YouTube Channel"> </a></li> </ul> </ul> <div id="content-wrapper" class=""> <div id="banner"> <div class="responsive"> <div><ul style="margin: 0; padding: 0;" class="ml-adverts banner"><li style="margin: 0; padding: 0;" class="ml-adverts-128786"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/plugins/ml-adverts/out.php?id=128786" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"/><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Satellite-ad-728x90.jpg" alt="https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/satellite.html?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=spaceflightinsider"/></a></li></ul></div> </div> </div> <div id="content"> <div class="sfi-container post" id="post-124482"> <h1><span><span><span>NASA selects experiments to fly aboard commercial lunar landers</span></span></span></h1>  <div class="news-post-info"> <div class="author">Derek Richardson</div> <div class="date">February 26th, 2019</div> </div><div class="shareaholic-canvas" data-app="share_buttons" data-title="NASA selects experiments to fly aboard commercial lunar landers" data-link="https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/nasa/nasa-selects-experiments-to-fly-aboard-commercial-lunar-landers/" data-summary="With commercial lunar landers starting to fly, the next step will be for payloads, public and private, to be sent aboard them to the Moon’s surface." data-app-id="28397427" data-app-id-name="post_above_content"></div><div id="attachment_124486" style="width: 1290px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-124486" class="wp-image-124486" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine.jpg" alt="An illustration of Astrobotic's Peregrine lander on the Moon's surface. It was one of nine companies selected as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract in November 2018. Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology" width="1280" height="657" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine.jpg 1600w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine-300x154.jpg 300w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine-768x394.jpg 768w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine-655x336.jpg 655w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine-1280x657.jpg 1280w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/clps_astrobiotic_peregrine-640x328.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"/><p id="caption-attachment-124486" class="wp-caption-text">An illustration of Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander on the Moon’s surface. It was one of nine companies selected as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract in November 2018. Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology</p></div> <p>With commercial lunar landers <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/spacex-completes-2nd-mission-of-2019-with-launch-of-gto-rideshare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">starting to fly</a>, the next step will be for payloads, public and private, to be sent aboard them to the Moon’s surface.<span id="more-124482"></span></p> <p>For its part, NASA has selected 12 science and technology demonstration payloads to fly to the Moon as early as this year, depending on availability, the agency said in a news release.</p> <div id="attachment_124489" style="width: 460px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-124489" class="wp-image-124489" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps-655x457.jpg" alt="Lockheed Martin's McCandless Lunar Lander. Image Credit: Lockheed Martin" width="450" height="314" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps-655x457.jpg 655w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps-300x209.jpg 300w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps-768x536.jpg 768w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps-1280x893.jpg 1280w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps-640x446.jpg 640w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/mccandless_lunar_lander_clps.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"/><p id="caption-attachment-124489" class="wp-caption-text">Lockheed Martin’s McCandless Lunar Lander. Image Credit: Lockheed Martin</p></div> <p>“The Moon has unique scientific value and the potential to yield resources, such as water and oxygen,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in an agency statement. “Its proximity to Earth makes it especially valuable as a proving ground for deeper space exploration.”</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-experiments-for-possible-lunar-flights-in-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to NASA</a>, the payloads being developed in NASA facilities across the U.S. are as follows:</p> <ul> <li>A linear energy transfer spectrometer, which is designed to measure the lunar surface radiation environment.</li> <li>Three resource prospecting instruments: <ul> <li>A near-infrared volatile spectrometer system, which designed to measure surface composition.</li> <li>A neutron spectrometer, which is designed to measure hydrogen abundance</li> <li>An ion-trap mass spectrometer, which designed to measure volatile contents in the surface and lunar exosphere.</li> </ul> </li> <li>A magnetometer designed to measure the surface magnetic field.</li> <li>A radio science instrument designed to measure the density of the photoelectron sheath near the surface.</li> <li>Three instruments designed to acquire information during entry, descent and landing on the lunar surface to inform the design of future lunar landers including the next human landers: <ul> <li>Stereo Cameras designed to image the interaction between the lander engine plume as it hits the lunar surface.</li> <li>An experiment designed to monitor how the landing affects the lunar exosphere.</li> <li>A doppler Lidar make precise velocity and ranging measurements during the descent, which could help develop precision landing capabilities for future landers.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>Additionally, NASA said two technology demonstrations are set to fly as well: A solar cell demonstration to test an advanced solar array for longer mission duration, and a navigation beacon designed to assist with geolocation for orbiting spacecraft and landers.</p> <div id="attachment_93857" style="width: 460px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93857" class="wp-image-93857" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Xmas-2015-Full-Moon_rsz-1500x1000-E50-655x437.jpg" alt="NASA has been directed by the President via Space Policy Directive 1 to return to the Moon in a sustainable fashion. This includes bring public and private partners with the agency. Photo Credit: NASA" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Xmas-2015-Full-Moon_rsz-1500x1000-E50-655x437.jpg 655w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Xmas-2015-Full-Moon_rsz-1500x1000-E50-300x200.jpg 300w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Xmas-2015-Full-Moon_rsz-1500x1000-E50-768x512.jpg 768w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Xmas-2015-Full-Moon_rsz-1500x1000-E50-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Xmas-2015-Full-Moon_rsz-1500x1000-E50.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"/><p id="caption-attachment-93857" class="wp-caption-text">NASA has been directed by the President via Space Policy Directive 1 to return to the Moon in a sustainable fashion. This includes bring public and private partners with the agency. Photo Credit: NASA</p></div> <p>Moreover, NASA is soliciting proposals for other science instrument and technology investigations under the Lunar Surface Instrument and Technology Payload program. LSITP proposals are due by Feb. 27 with awards expected by spring 2019.</p> <p>“This payload selection announcement is the exciting next step on our path to return to the surface of the Moon,” Steve Clarke, NASA Science Mission Directorate deputy associate administrator for Exploration at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said in an agency news release. “The selected payloads, along with those that will be awarded through the Lunar Surface Instrument and Technology Payloads call, will begin to build a healthy pipeline of scientific investigations and technology development payloads that we can fly to the lunar surface using U.S. commercial landing delivery services. Future calls for payloads are planned to be released each year for additional opportunities.”</p> <p>According to NASA, the selected payloads are set fly via <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.nasa.gov/content/draft-concepts-for-commercial-lunar-landers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine companies</a> selected in November 2018 through the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS: Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh; Deep Space Systems of Littleton, Colorado; Draper of Cambridge; Massachusetts; Firefly Aerospace of Cedar Park, Texas; Intuitive Machines of Houston; Lockheed Martin of Littleton Colorado; Masten Space Systems of Mojave, California; Moon Express of Cape Canaveral, Florida; and Orbit Beyond of Edison, New Jersey.</p> <p>NASA hopes to assign the first mission in spring 2019 before selecting specific payloads for that flight.</p> <h3>International interest in the Moon</h3> <hr> <p>While these are all U.S. companies, there are several companies overseas that are making significant progress on their landers.</p> <p>Of all the companies developing private lunar landers, however, one has made beyond the launch pad: Israel-based non-profit SpaceIL and its Beresheet lander.</p> <div id="attachment_124110" style="width: 460px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-124110" class="wp-image-124110" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic-655x492.jpg" alt="SpaceIL's lunar lander will take several months to gradually raise its orbit to be captured by the Moon's gravity. Once in lunar orbit, it will perform a deorbit burn to land on the surface. Image Credit: SpaceIL" width="450" height="338" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic-655x492.jpg 655w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic-300x225.jpg 300w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic-768x577.jpg 768w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic-1280x961.jpg 1280w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic-640x481.jpg 640w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/spaceil_graphic.jpg 1477w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"/><p id="caption-attachment-124110" class="wp-caption-text">SpaceIL’s lunar lander will take several months to gradually raise its orbit to be captured by the Moon’s gravity. Once in lunar orbit, it will perform a deorbit burn to land on the surface. Image Credit: SpaceIL</p></div> <p>The first Beresheet lander is currently on its way to the Moon. NASA also has <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/nasa-is-aboard-first-private-moon-landing-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a presence</a> aboard the spacecraft in the form of a small laser retroreflector experiment designed to test its potential as a navigation tool, the U.S. space agency said.</p> <p>Additionally, NASA said it granted SpaceIL use of the Deep Space Network to communicate with the lander and to transmit data back to the organization and its partners.</p> <p>Beresheet is expected to take about two months to raise itself from its current geostationary transfer orbit to an elliptical orbit high enough to be captured by the Moon. It is planned to land in the plains of the Sea of Serenity, which is just to the northwest of the Sea of Tranquility.</p> <p>However, as this is a test mission problems could crop up. The Israeli SpaceIL lander has experienced two issues thus far: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://twitter.com/TeamSpaceIL/status/1099005864105730051" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high sensitivity</a> to the sun’s rays in the spacecraft’s star trackers and an unexpected <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://twitter.com/TeamSpaceIL/status/1100334367589715970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">computer reset</a> forcing the cancellation of a pre-maneuver phase.</p> <p>In a tweet, SpaceIL said the spacecraft’s systems were working well.</p> <p>While it is unclear if the two issues are significant setbacks or minor hiccups (all signs point to the latter), test flights are meant to iron these out, especially since landing on the Moon has never before been done by a private organization.</p> <p>It’s important to remember that companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin and even Rocket Lab all experienced failures of some sort during their first missions. Whether companies landing on the Moon are ultimately successful in the long run will likely have more to do with overcoming any failures and maintaining a strong business case.</p> <h3>Going to the Moon sustainably to stay</h3> <hr> <p>Regardless of what happens, NASA is looking to companies to facilitate its return to the Moon both scientifically and eventually with humans.</p> <p>NASA <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/nasa/nasa-wants-speedy-development-of-commercial-lunar-landers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> in February 2019 its plans to work with U.S. companies to design and develop a three-part human-rated lunar landing system which would be partially reusable with the goal of being fully reusable once surface refueling becomes possible through in situ resource utilization, or ISRU.</p> <div id="attachment_123852" style="width: 460px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123852" class="wp-image-123852" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture-655x365.png" alt="The proposed architecture would have three parts that could be launched, in part, by commercial rockets, refueled by commercial spacecraft, and be based at NASA's future Lunar Gateway. Image Credit: NASA" width="450" height="251" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture-655x365.png 655w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture-300x167.png 300w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture-768x428.png 768w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture-640x357.png 640w, https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoonRefArchitechture.png 1174w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"/></a><p id="caption-attachment-123852" class="wp-caption-text">The proposed architecture would have three parts that could be launched, in part, by commercial rockets, refueled by commercial spacecraft, and be based at NASA’s future Lunar Gateway. Image Credit: NASA</p></div> <p>The plan is to have companies develop a descent vehicle, possibly an evolved version of those under CLPS, and a transfer vehicle. Both would be based at NASA’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars/lunar-outpost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lunar Gateway</a>, which is expected to be built beginning in the early-to-mid-2020s in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon.</p> <p>It is expected that the transfer vehicle would take the descent vehicle to low-lunar orbit before returning to the Gateway to be refueled by a commercial logistics spacecraft. The descent vehicle would then perform a landing. It would not be reused until ISRU becomes feasible.</p> <p>These two pieces could become available beginning in 2024.</p> <p>Meanwhile, NASA hopes to develop a human-rated ascent vehicle. Once ready, it would be flown to the Gateway to be attached to the descent and transfer vehicles. By 2026, an unpiloted dress rehearsal mission could occur. Once taken to low-lunar orbit by the transfer vehicle, the descent vehicle would take the ascent vehicle to the surface. At the conclusion of its mission, the ascent vehicle would launch directly back to the Gateway to be refueled along with the transfer vehicle and await it next descent vehicle.</p> <p>If all checks out, the first human landings using the system could occur in 2028.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <div class="shareaholic-canvas" data-app="share_buttons" data-title="NASA selects experiments to fly aboard commercial lunar landers" data-link="https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/nasa/nasa-selects-experiments-to-fly-aboard-commercial-lunar-landers/" data-summary="With commercial lunar landers starting to fly, the next step will be for payloads, public and private, to be sent aboard them to the Moon’s surface." data-app-id="28397423" data-app-id-name="post_below_content"></div> <p class="tags"> Tagged: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/astrobotic-technology/" rel="tag">Astrobotic Technology</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/beresheet/" rel="tag">Beresheet</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/commercial-lunar-payload-services/" rel="tag">Commercial Lunar Payload Services</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/gateway/" rel="tag">Gateway</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/lead-stories/" rel="tag">Lead Stories</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/moon/" rel="tag">Moon</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/moon-express/" rel="tag">Moon Express</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/nasa/" rel="tag">NASA</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/tag/spaceil/" rel="tag">SpaceIL</a> </p> <div class="news-post-about"><img alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2819ed4d033727a83b78ca7d65aec6eb?s=96&d=mm&r=g" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726im_/https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2819ed4d033727a83b78ca7d65aec6eb?s=192&d=mm&r=g 2x" class="avatar avatar-96 photo" height="96" width="96"/> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/author/derek-richardson/" title="Posts by Derek Richardson" rel="author">Derek Richardson</a></h3> <p>Derek Richardson has a degree in mass media, with an emphasis in contemporary journalism, from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. While at Washburn, he was the managing editor of the student run newspaper, the Washburn Review. He also has a blog about the International Space Station, called Orbital Velocity. He met with members of the SpaceFlight Insider team during the flight of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket with the MUOS-4 satellite. Richardson joined our team shortly thereafter. His passion for space ignited when he watched Space Shuttle Discovery launch into space Oct. 29, 1998. Today, this fervor has accelerated toward orbit and shows no signs of slowing down. After dabbling in math and engineering courses in college, he soon realized his true calling was communicating to others about space. Since joining SpaceFlight Insider in 2015, Richardson has worked to increase the quality of our content, eventually becoming our managing editor. @TheSpaceWriter</p> </div> </div><div id="jp-relatedposts" class="jp-relatedposts"> <h3 class="jp-relatedposts-headline">Related Reading</h3> </div> <div id="comments" class="comments-area"> <div class="comments-header"> <h3>Reader Comments </h3> </div> <div class="comment-list"> <div class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="comment-798023"> <div class="comment-info"> <div class="comment-author"> Rod Seel </div> <div class="comment-meta"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/nasa/nasa-selects-experiments-to-fly-aboard-commercial-lunar-landers/#comment-798023"> February 28, 2019 1:20 am</a> </a> </div> </div> <p>I think that the Lunar Orbital Gateway needs a repair bay. If we are looking at reusability, then we may need to move a lander inside to do maintines or repairs</p> <div class="reply"> <a rel="nofollow" class="comment-reply-link" href="#comment-798023" data-commentid="798023" data-postid="124482" data-belowelement="comment-798023" data-respondelement="respond" aria-label="Reply to Rod Seel">Reply</a> </div> </div> </div> <div id="respond" class="comment-respond"> <p class="comment-note"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/commenting-rules">⚠ Commenting Rules</a></p><h3>Post Comment</h3> <small><a rel="nofollow" id="cancel-comment-reply-link" href="/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/nasa/nasa-selects-experiments-to-fly-aboard-commercial-lunar-landers/#respond" style="display:none;">Cancel reply</a></small></h3> <form action="https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144726/https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-comments-post.php" method="post" id="commentform" class="comment-form"> <p class="comment-notes"><span id="email-notes">Your email address will not be published.</span> Required fields are marked <span class="required">*</span></p><p class="comment-form-comment"><textarea autocomplete="nope" id="d6fdb4c9bf" name="d6fdb4c9bf" rows="8" aria-required="true"></textarea><textarea id="comment" aria-hidden="true" name="comment" autocomplete="nope" style="padding:0;clip:rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);position:absolute !important;white-space:nowrap;height:1px;width:1px;overflow:hidden;" tabindex="-1"></textarea><script type="text/javascript">document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ac66486a39eb4afeb77597f40f876fd8" );document.getElementById("d6fdb4c9bf").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );</script></p><p class="comment-form-author"><label for="author">Name <span class="required">*</span></label> <input id="author" name="author" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="245" required="required"/></p> <p class="comment-form-email"><label for="email">Email <span class="required">*</span></label> <input id="email" name="email" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="100" aria-describedby="email-notes" required="required"/></p> <p class="comment-form-url"><label for="url">Website</label> <input id="url" name="url" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="200"/></p> <p class="form-submit"><input name="submit" type="submit" id="submit" class="submit" value="Post Comment"/> <input type="hidden" name="comment_post_ID" value="124482" id="comment_post_ID"/> <input type="hidden" name="comment_parent" id="comment_parent" value="0"/> </p><p class="comment-subscription-form"><input type="checkbox" name="subscribe_comments" id="subscribe_comments" value="subscribe" style="width: auto; 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