Gateway to the next era of exploration
This video brings together insights from the “Lunar Space Station 101” podcast, highlighting how Gateway will enable long-term lunar exploration and pave the way for future Mars missions.
Learn More About GatewayGateway: The Lunar Space Station
Kick off the miniseries with this exciting first episode featuring NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik and deputy director for NASA's Exploration Operations Office, Stephanie Dudley. Get an overview of Gateway, humanity’s first lunar space station, and discover its transformative role in advancing deep space science and exploration on and around the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign. Learn how Artemis and Gateway lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars, testing technologies and operations essential for sustained human presence in deep space.
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Meet the Experts
Stephanie Dudley
Stephanie Dudley serves as the deputy director for NASA's Exploration Operations Office. Bringing over 20 years of experience across multiple NASA human spaceflight programs, Dudley has contributed to the Space Shuttle, Constellation, and International Space Station programs, and now plays a pivotal role in shaping the science and technology that will fly on Gateway.
Randy Bresnik
A veteran of spaceflight, Bresnik flew aboard STS-129, served as Commander of the International Space Station for Expedition 53, and performed five spacewalks. In addition to his space missions, he has trained as a cavenaut with ESA (European Space Agency) and as an aquanaut for NASA’s NEEMO 19 mission. Currently, Bresnik serves as Assistant to the Chief of the Astronaut Office for Exploration, overseeing the development and testing of systems for NASA’s Artemis missions.
Gateway: Together to the Moon
In the second episode, veteran astronaut Luca Parmitano highlights the contributions of two of Gateway’s international partners: ESA (European Space Agency) and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Join the conversation to learn how global collaboration is powering the development of humanity’s first lunar space station and shaping the future of deep-space exploration.
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Meet the Expert
Luca Parmitano
Luca Parmitano was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 and hails from Italy. His first mission to the International Space Station in 2013 included two spacewalks. Parmitano returned to the station in 2019, becoming the first Italian to serve as Commander of the ISS, and completed four additional spacewalks. Currently, Parmitano serves as ESA’s Lead Astronaut and the European Astronaut Center’s liaison officer to NASA's Johnson Space Center, where he plays a key role in astronaut training and contributes his expertise to NASA's Artemis campaign.
Gateway: At Your Service
In the third episode, NASA’s Gateway Logistics Manager Mark Wiese and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jenni Gibbons share how commercial cargo missions and advanced robotic systems will support Gateway in lunar orbit. Learn how these innovations and partnerships will not only sustain operations around the Moon but also help prepare for future human missions to Mars.
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Meet the Experts
Mark Wiese
Mark Wiese serves as manager for the Gateway Program’s Deep Space Logistics Office at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. In this role, he provides leadership and project management expertise to drive the development of commercial spacecraft, launch vehicles, and integration services that will support Gateway in lunar orbit.
Jenni Gibbons
Jenni Gibbons, from Calgary, Alberta, was selected as a CSA astronaut in 2020. Currently, she serves as the backup crewmember for CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the Artemis II mission, the first crewed mission in NASA’s Artemis campaign. Since moving to Houston in 2017 to begin mission training, Gibbons has been instrumental in developing astronaut procedures for Artemis missions.
Gateway to the Future
In the fourth episode, astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori highlights the airlock that the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is contributing for Gateway, while NASA’s Lunar Architecture Lead, Shatel Bhakta, explores Gateway’s role as a stepping stone for missions deeper into the cosmos. Learn how Gateway is driving the development of technologies and capabilities essential for humanity’s next giant leap—crewed missions to Mars.
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Meet the Experts
Shatel Bhakta
Shatel Bhakta serves as the Lunar Architecture Lead for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) Strategy & Architecture Office. With over 20 years of experience in human spaceflight, Bhakta has worked across multiple roles, including mission operations, hardware development, and system integration. His current focus is on shaping the architecture for NASA’s lunar and Mars exploration efforts, identifying gaps in current capabilities and developing solutions that advance human space exploration. Drawing on his expertise in engineering and large-scale integration, Bhakta plays a key role in ensuring that Gateway and NASA's Artemis missions lay the groundwork for future Mars expeditions.
Hazzaa AlMansoori
Hazzaa AlMansoori is the first Emirati astronaut and a distinguished military pilot. In 2017, he was selected as one of the inaugural astronauts in the UAE Astronaut Programme. AlMansoori’s extensive experience as a military pilot, combined with his ability to excel in challenging environments, made him an ideal candidate for the UAE’s first human spaceflight mission. In 2019, he embarked on a historic journey to the International Space Station, a milestone that established the United Arab Emirates as the 19th country—and the first Arab nation—to send an astronaut to the orbiting laboratory. This achievement marked a significant moment in Arab and Emirati space exploration history.
Gateway: Japan in Deep Space
In the fifth and final episode of the Gateway miniseries, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide discusses Japan’s pivotal contributions to Gateway and future Artemis missions. This episode highlights how international collaboration is shaping the future of lunar exploration and laying the groundwork for human missions to Mars. Don’t miss this inspiring conclusion to the series.
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Meet the Expert
Akihiko Hoshide
Akihiko Hoshide is a seasoned astronaut with over three decades of experience in the space industry. After joining NASDA (now JAXA) as an engineer in 1992, he was selected as a Japanese astronaut candidate in 1999 and certified in 2001. A veteran of three spaceflights, Hoshide has traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008, the Soyuz spacecraft in 2012, and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 Dragon in 2021. During his time in space, Hoshide accomplished significant tasks, such as delivering the Pressurized Module and robotic arm of the Japanese Experiment Module, or Kibo, to the International Space Station and deploying small satellites. Hoshide also served as ISS commander during Expedition 65, overseeing science experiments, maintenance tasks, and operations aboard the orbiting laboratory. In total, he has spent 340 days, 11 hours, and 41 minutes in space.
Learn More About Gateway
The Latest Gateway Updates
Explore the latest updates, announcements, and images of the Lunar Gateway. Stay informed and inspired as NASA and its partners develop the first space station around the Moon.
