NASA's Exploration Initiative on the Verge

Looking at the sky this morning,one could not help but notice the Moon in daylight hours​.We cannot see the Sun at night; but the Moon is often visibly with us in the daytime. So it is natural the Moon is integral to NASA's Exploration Campaign.According to the agency:
The Exploration Campaign builds on a steady cadence of development​, starting now, to enable easy access to the surface of the Moon and begin assembling the Gateway in lunar orbit.*
NASA aims its return to Moon to commence in 2020,in league with international and commercial partners.It is well on the way by enlisting commercial partner candidates with the acumen vital to support deep space activity, from new orbiters to large human-rated landers and rovers,as well as the Gateway lunar orbital platform itself.*
The Orion spacecraft is slated for launch on it's first integrated mission with the new Space Launch System rocket by 2020; the first crewed mission is planned for a 2023 launch.*
By using the Moon and lunar orbit as a testing ground for future missions​ to Mars and beyond, NASA and its partners can continue to advance technogical, philosophical and economic prospects for life on Earth.

NASA Solicits Industry for Gateway Project - commercial and international effort

On 21 June 2018,NASA issued a draft solicitation by way of a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for proposals for the first element of the Gateway project.The Gateway is basically a small space station,most recently referred to as the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway.Built with commercial and international partners,it will support robotic and human exploration of the Moon and beyond,including Mars,in accordance with Space Policy Directive 1.*
The draft solicitation seeks proposals for the first element of the Gateway,which is to be a high power,solar electric propulsion (SEP) spacecraft to maintain the Gateway's position in space and move it between lunar orbits as needed,NASA said.It will also power the Gateway's controls and communications.Industry's response to the draft will facilitate the issuance of a final solicitation later this summer.The current target date for the launch of this power and propulsion element by a commercial rocket is 2022.
In addition to the draft,an Industry Day has been scheduled for 10 July 2018 at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland,Ohio.
The SEP spacecraft is to enable the high rate,reliable communications between Earth and deep space that are critical for deep space spacewalks and human exploration of celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars.*
Since 2016,companies have been developing prospective habitation elements for deep space exploration in the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) programme.Five of the firms are developing complete Gateway concepts.*
Jason Crusan is director for Advanced Exploration Systems at NASA headquarters in Washington.