NASA: Moon as a transshipment base

Reportedly, NASA is considering the construction of a lunar base, which is planned to be used as a launching pad for manned flights to Mars and to more distant planets. The base will be something like an outpost and will be good support for astronauts exploring the moon itself or going to Mars.

While it is planned to build a base at the so-called Lagrange point L2 , on the dark side of the moon.

Wiki : At point L2, gravitational forces acting on the body compensate for the action of centrifugal forces in a rotating reference frame.

The first rocket flight to the moon for this purpose is planned for 2017, two years later, the construction of the outpost itself will begin. An Orion rocket capsule will be used, the development of which costs the States about $ 3 billion a year. At the same time, NASA's current budget is about 18 billion. Inside the capsule, by the way, there are components from Italy and Russia.

While much depends on the actions of Congress and the President in this regard, NASA needs increased funding, but not the fact that they will receive it.

More details (eng).
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