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Yesterday — 25 April 2025Main stream

NASA Welcomes Gateway Lunar Space Station’s HALO Module to US

✇Artemis – NASA
By:Briana R. Zamora
4 April 2025 at 10:11

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

A large cargo aircraft with its nose lifted open reveals a wrapped container being offloaded. The container is marked with the logo for NASA's Artemis campaign and labeled as the HALO transport and storage container. The scene is set at an airport during late afternoon.
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

A core component of Gateway, humanity’s first space station around the Moon, is now on American soil and one step closer to launch. In lunar orbit, Gateway will support NASA’s Artemis campaign to return humans to the Moon and chart a path of scientific discovery toward the first crewed missions to Mars.

Gateway’s first pressurized module and one of its two foundational elements, HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), arrived in Arizona on April 1. Fresh off a transatlantic journey from Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, the structure will undergo final outfitting at Northrop Grumman’s integration and test facility in Gilbert before being integrated with Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The pair of modules will launch together on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

A ground crew member with arms raised and holding orange marshalling wands guides a large cargo aircraft as it taxis on the runway. The aircraft faces the camera head-on under a cloudy sky.
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Gateway’s HALO will provide Artemis astronauts with space to live, work, conduct scientific research, and prepare for missions to the lunar surface. It will offer command and control, data handling, energy storage, electrical power distribution, thermal regulation, and communications and tracking via Lunar Link, a high-rate lunar communication system provided by ESA (European Space Agency). The module will include docking ports for visiting vehicles such as NASA’s Orion spacecraft, lunar landers, and logistics modules. It will also support both internal and external science payloads, enabling research and technology demonstrations in the harsh deep space environment.

Built with industry and international partners, Gateway will support sustained exploration of the Moon, serve as a platform for science and international collaboration, and act as a proving ground for the technologies and systems needed for future human missions to Mars.

A large cargo aircraft with its nose lifted open reveals HALO's wrapped container. The container is marked with the logo for NASA's Artemis campaign. The scene is set at an airport during late afternoon.
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
The HALO transport container is seen in a cargo aircraft. The white container features the the Artemis logo. The scene takes place on an airport tarmac.
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
At the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy, technicians prepare Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) for transport. The module’s primary structure, fabricated by Thales Alenia Space, will travel to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, for final outfitting ahead of its launch to lunar orbit.
Thales Alenia Space
At the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy, technicians prepare Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) for transport. The module’s primary structure, fabricated by Thales Alenia Space, will travel to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, for final outfitting ahead of its launch to lunar orbit.
Thales Alenia Space
At the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy, technicians prepare Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) for transport. The module’s primary structure, fabricated by Thales Alenia Space, will travel to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, for final outfitting ahead of its launch to lunar orbit.
Thales Alenia Space
At the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy, technicians prepare Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) for transport. The module’s primary structure, fabricated by Thales Alenia Space, will travel to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, for final outfitting ahead of its launch to lunar orbit.
Thales Alenia Space
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) departs Italy en route to Arizona, where it will undergo final outfitting at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert ahead of its launch to lunar orbit. The module’s primary structure was fabricated by Thales Alenia Space in Turin.
Thales Alenia Space
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) departs Italy en route to Arizona, where it will undergo final outfitting at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert ahead of its launch to lunar orbit. The module’s primary structure was fabricated by Thales Alenia Space in Turin.
Thales Alenia Space
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) departs Italy en route to Arizona, where it will undergo final outfitting at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert ahead of its launch to lunar orbit. The module’s primary structure was fabricated by Thales Alenia Space in Turin.
Thales Alenia Space
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrives in Mesa, Arizona, after traveling from Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. Delivered by cargo aircraft to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, HALO will be transported to Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert for final outfitting.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
The HALO transport container, wrapped in white material with logos for Artemis, Northrop Grumman, Thales Alenia Space, and other partners, is positioned inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona. The container remains on a flatbed trailer as personnel monitor its arrival in the clean, white-walled space.
Gateway’s HALO arrives inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, after its transatlantic journey from Italy.
Northrop Grumman
Personnel work around HALO’s transport container inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona. The white container is suspended from an overhead crane and features logos for Artemis, HALO, Thales Alenia Space, and Northrop Grumman. A technician on a lift observes from above while others prepare for unloading.
At Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona, facility, teams begin removing Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) from its transport container. HALO arrived from Turin, Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. The module will undergo final outfitting in Gilbert before being integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element and launched to lunar orbit.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
A group of technicians observe as Gateway’s HALO module is suspended midair by a crane inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona. The cylindrical metallic structure is lifted using red straps and a large white lifting fixture.
At Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona, facility, teams remove Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) from its transport container. HALO arrived from Turin, Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. The module will undergo final outfitting in Gilbert before being integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element and launched to lunar orbit.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
A technician in cleanroom attire guides the removal of the top half of HALO’s transport container, revealing the cylindrical structure of the module inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona. The container is labeled with Thales Alenia Space and Northrop Grumman logos, and the HALO module is partially unwrapped with visible ports and blue protective tape.
At Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona, facility, teams begin removing Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) from its transport container. HALO arrived from Turin, Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. The module will undergo final outfitting in Gilbert before being integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element and launched to lunar orbit.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, the top half of the HALO module’s transport container is lifted away, revealing the metallic cylindrical structure beneath. The container is marked with logos for Artemis, HALO, Thales Alenia Space, and Northrop Grumman. A technician on a lift observes the operation.
At Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona, facility, teams remove Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) from its transport container. HALO arrived from Turin, Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. The module will undergo final outfitting in Gilbert before being integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element and launched to lunar orbit.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, Gateway’s HALO module is suspended in midair by a crane as technicians in cleanroom garments observe the operation. The cylindrical metallic module features docking interfaces with alignment markings. Surrounding the module is specialized handling equipment used to support its movement.
At Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona, facility, teams remove Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) from its transport container. HALO arrived from Turin, Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. The module will undergo final outfitting in Gilbert before being integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element and launched to lunar orbit.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Technicians in cleanroom attire guide and inspect Gateway’s HALO module as it is suspended in midair inside Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona. The close-up view shows intricate interface details and alignment markers on the circular docking port. One technician stands on a lift while others remain on the ground, coordinating the module’s position.
At Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona, facility, teams remove Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) from its transport container. HALO arrived from Turin, Italy, where Thales Alenia Space fabricated its primary structure. The module will undergo final outfitting in Gilbert before being integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element and launched to lunar orbit.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Download additional high-resolution images of HALO here.

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