Visitors to Space Center Houston can now explore a mockup of a lunar orbit habitat developed by Northrop Grumman. The prototype is part of NASA's lunar Gateway program and is designed to showcase future astronaut accommodations around the moon.
The 21-foot-long by 14.5-foot-wide (6.4-by-4.4-meter) habitat is located in the Artemis gallery, which focuses on NASA's mission to return humans to the moon and prepare for Mars exploration. Guests can enter through the same hatch where a lunar lander would dock.
Inside, the mockup features modular science and equipment racks, a padded crew quarters, and a control tower with a water dispenser. An additional docking port is available for the Orion crew spacecraft to return astronauts and samples to Earth.
Originally constructed under NASA's NextSTEP-2 initiative in 2019, this mockup underwent evaluations by astronauts who preferred its size for communal activities. The exhibit aims to engage the public with the future of human spaceflight.
William Harris, president of Space Center Houston, emphasized the importance of this high-fidelity model in helping visitors understand the essential elements for human survival in space.
Despite not matching the current HALO design, the mockup serves as a foundational element in the development of NASA's Artemis program.