Moon Gateway: Debating the case for an orbital lunar outpost

The Lunar Gateway—NASA's planned Moon-orbiting space station developed with international partners—is meant to help test deep-space technology and serve as a staging post for Artemis missions. Its high cost and funding uncertainties spark a debate: supporters say the outpost enables sustainable, international Moon exploration, while critics question its necessity. Even if Gateway is canceled, much of its hardware could be repurposed, but abandoning it could weaken U.S. leadership and international trust in future deep-space cooperation.