Spacewatch: Nasa awards first contract for lunar space station

Maxar wins $375m deal to build the Lunar Gateway's power and propulsion element

Nasa has contracted Maxar Technologies to develop the first element of its Lunar Gateway space station, an essential part of its plan to return astronauts to the moon by 2024.

Astronauts arriving from Earth in the Orion crew capsule will dock at the gateway, which will be in orbit around the moon, before transferring to a lunar landing module and descending to the surface. It will also double as a research outpost for astronauts who do not become moonwalkers.