, including the resource-rich South Pole.

for astronauts, providing a place to live, refuel, and prepare for trips down to the Moon or even further missions to Mars. A Global Collaboration

Gateway will serve as a laboratory in a way Earth-orbiting stations cannot. Because it is outside Earth's protective magnetic field, it offers a rare chance to study . Instruments like HERMES and ERSA will monitor solar wind and space weather to help protect future travelers headed for Mars. What’s Next?