Next Small Step: NASA's Deep-Space Outpost

A new and exciting development in space exploration is formulating at NASA. A recent memo released by William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, states that a future collaboration of both scientists and engineers will take place in respect to the exploration of a region of space known as Earth-moon liberation point-2 (More commonly known as Lagrange point-2).

Lagrange points are points in space positioned between two large objects (in this case, the earth and the moon) that, as a result of the gravitational pull of the two object, causes material located at the Lagrange point to remain inert, with respect to the two larger bodies.

This project can potentially further space exploration technology and serve as a catalyst for future manned missions to deep-space.

NASA plans to set up a deep-space outpost near Lagrange point-2. This project, NASA hopes, will cause numerous innovations in space-faring technologies that can eventually be used for future missions in the future.

In this new, unexplored region of space, scientists and engineers can perform experiments that will enhance the knowledge of prolonged human-habitation of deep-space. Moreover, researchers plan to use this outpost to test new methods of space travel which will, as an effect, minimize the costs of space travel.

The newfound knowledge that will be gained from this project can aid NASA scientists in planning and executing future manned deep-space exploration missions more efficiently and effectively.

A goal that NASA hopes to achieve along with this mission is: Increase cooperation between international space agencies. By collaborating with foreign space agencies, NASA will, in effect, make this mission cheaper for American taxpayers. NASA hopes that with the successful international effort of building the International Space Station, other countries might be motivated to work with each other on future space endeavours.