NASA will work with the United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre to develop an airlock module for the Gateway Space Station.
The aerospace company will build, deploy and operate the Crew and Science Airlock module for the space station that will be launched to orbit the moon, according to an agreement announced on Sunday.
NASA envisions Gateway as supporting its long-term moon exploration under the Artemis mission.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement that MBRSC’s support of Gateway will pave the way for astronauts to conduct scientific research works in deep space. The partnership will also advance the United States’ goal of sending a human-led mission to Mars, he added.
According to the space agency, the collaborative work requires MBRSC to provide engineering support for Gateway’s operations. As part of the arrangement, the company will also deploy a UAE astronaut to the space station on a future Artemis mission.
The airlock will facilitate crew and science research transfers from the space station’s pressurized crew modules to the vacuum of space. NASA explained that such transfers would enable maintenance services for Gateway and further exploration of deep space.
The announced deal provided no timeline on the airlock module’s integration into Gateway but Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai’s crown prince, hinted at a 2030 completion in a post on social media.