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The Lunar Gateway is an in-development space station in lunar orbit intended to serve as a solar-powered communications hub, science laboratory, short-term habitation module, and holding area for rovers and other robots. I am not doubting NASA team about it but I am just asking why is the lunar gateway so important. Why can't we just dismantle International Space Station and join them again in lunar orbit . It can serve in the same way and can be economically viable as anyways ISS is going to expire one day.

Akshat
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  • Related questions https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/24382/why-does-the-iss-have-to-be-destroyed , https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/32028/more-complete-source-for-lunar-gateway-is-a-stupid-architecture-comments-nat , https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/30140/why-is-the-us-building-a-lunar-orbital-platform-gateway-lop-g – GremlinWranger Mar 30 '20 at 12:55
  • What your view on this ? – Akshat Mar 30 '20 at 13:03
  • "Share your views" means your question is asking for opinion based answers which is not allowed. Please review the help center topic https://space.stackexchange.com/help/dont-ask and consider an [edit] to bring your question into scope for the site. – Organic Marble Mar 30 '20 at 13:20
  • ISS should not be dismantled, it could be dragged to lunar orbit with ion drive(s). The problem is that current space exploration projectleaders get itching if there is anything about improvisation. They would choose to destroy the ISS (calling it "take it home"), and then build a new one on lunar orbit in the future ($=$never). – peterh Mar 30 '20 at 15:31
  • The ISS is far too heavy to be transported to a lunar orbit. – Uwe Mar 30 '20 at 15:38
  • @peterh-ReinstateMonica do you have details on these 'ion drives'? – Organic Marble Mar 30 '20 at 19:29
  • Telecommunicating to the Moon is postponed because the Moon is about 1.3 light seconds away. When the Apollo astronauts talked with Houston or the President the communication was postponed, and if there are technical issues, even more. That's why a space station that hasn't much to do with lunar/planet exploration is better to stay in the proximity to Earth. As you say, the Lunar Gateway shall primarily serve as a mothership/holding area for Artemis lunar landings, and also for manned flights to near-Earth asteroids. –  Mar 31 '20 at 18:42

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