Is Gateway Actually A Stealth "Space Station"?

Hertz: As NASA develops infrastructure for Artemis, like the lunar Gateway, we will make it available for astrophysics and other scientific investigations, based on science merit. #AAS235

— Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) January 5, 2020

Keith's note: On more than one occasion Jim Bridenstine (and others at NASA) have sought to make it clear that NASA does not see Gateway as a "mini space station" only to call it a "space station" moments later. The meme they want to promote is that Gateway is supposed to be some sort of super service module that moves around and enables the whole human lunar landing thing. Well, now Paul Hertz from SMD is saying that they will be using Gateway for "astrophysics and other scientific investigations". In other words, Gateway is actually a space station (shh!) with inherent/embedded ability to do things that have zero relevance to landing people and things on the Moon. Statements like this simply serve to perpetuate the notion that NASA is simply recreating a ISS in lunar orbit and that they are trying to sell it by saying that it will do something for everyone.

Meanwhile NASA still cannot figure out how to fully utilize the space station they already have in Low Earth Orbit. Oh yes: there are people in HEOMD who seem to think that all of this lunar stuff is just temporary and that they will pivot toward Mars as soon as they can - thus leaving the Gateway with nothing to do. So maybe SMD is thinking of how to get in line for access to Gateway after HEMOD packs up and heads to Mars.

We just heard @JimBridenstine say that "Gateway is not a space station" yet if you look inside the @LockheedMartin high fidelity mockup they have a plant growth chamber like they use on ISS. Why? This is supposed to be a command/service module according to Bridenstine. pic.twitter.com/L78EfK4yVy — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 11, 2019

WRT the whole "Gateway is not a space station since it is only periodically occupied" thing. Skylab was our "first space station" and it was always human-tended. This FGB/Node 1 configuration was human-tended for years but we called it a "international space station". Just sayin' pic.twitter.com/JCMIQQ6CsX — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 13, 2019

According to Marshall Smith from @NASA the Gateway is not a space station its a spacecraft. Well, by definition, all space stations are space craft - they have propulsion. BTW the Gateway Spacecraft looks like the Mir Space Station. Just sayin' #Artemis #Moon2024 pic.twitter.com/o6sP5d52D2 — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 29, 2019

At Users Advisory Group meeting today Marshall Smith Acting Dep Assoc Administrator @NASA Human Lunar Exploration Programs told participants that #NASA is going to "turn and burn" from the Moon to Mars. So much for going back to the Moon to stay - "sustainably" #Artemis #Moon2024 pic.twitter.com/unNvw0lGaU — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) July 24, 2019

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