'Now boarding' … 240,000 miles from Earth, at the moon's first airport

The moon is set to have its first spaceport, Gateway, and engineers developed mathematical flight manuals and orbital rules of the road to safely manage spacecraft traffic in one of the most challenging environments for human exploration. The spaceport will operate along a near-rectilinear halo orbit, an egg-shaped orbit that swings within 1,000 miles of the moon's north pole and back out again nearly 40,000 miles beyond its south pole. The study, published in Acta Astronautica, balances fuel efficiency and operational demands while reducing the risk of collisions. The research team used thousands of computer simulations to test strategies for keeping spacecraft safely spaced around Gateway, finding that modest increases in station-keeping maneuvers allowed spacecraft to stay closer to their intended positions with only small propellant use.

• Gateway is the moon's first spaceport, and it will manage traffic for multiple spacecraft.
• The near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) is an egg-shaped orbit that swings within 1,000 miles of the moon's north pole and back out again nearly 40,000 miles beyond its south pole.
• The study found that modest increases in station-keeping maneuvers allowed spacecraft to stay closer to their intended positions with only small propellant use.
• The research team used thousands of computer simulations to test strategies for keeping spacecraft safely spaced around Gateway.

The gravitational trap of the moon's orbit presents a unique challenge for traffic management. Gateway and visiting spacecraft must navigate a celestial highway where traffic patterns are written in mathematical rules. The study found that spacecraft can stay safely spaced with only small changes in propellant use, making the traffic management system more efficient and predictable. The research highlights the importance of traffic management in the NRHO, where spacecraft must avoid collisions and maintain safe distances. The study's findings have implications for future lunar missions, where traffic management will be critical for the safe and efficient operation of spacecraft.

• The study found that spacecraft can stay safely spaced with only small changes in propellant use.
• Effective traffic management in the NRHO is crucial for ensuring crew safety and mission success.
• The research highlights the importance of traffic management in the NRHO, where spacecraft must avoid collisions and maintain safe distances.

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