NASA halts work on lunar HALO module, reassigns staff

NASA has instructed Northrop Grumman to stop work on the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module, a key component intended for the Lunar Gateway orbital space station. This decision follows NASA's March announcement shifting its lunar focus from an orbital station to a surface base, with plans to repurpose another Gateway element, the Power and Propulsion Element.

Sources indicate that Paragon Space Development Corp., a contractor responsible for HALO's life-support system, was recently told to cease its work. While neither NASA nor Northrop Grumman has publicly confirmed a definitive stop-work order or the end of HALO's development, a Northrop Grumman spokesperson stated that affected employees would be reassigned to other programs within their space portfolio. The spokesperson also noted that HALO could potentially be repurposed for various lunar missions.

The reasons for halting HALO's development remain unclear. It is possible that NASA determined the large, heavy module is not suitable for lunar surface missions, or that remediation of a corrosion issue would be too costly and time-consuming. This development further signals the diminishing prospects for the Lunar Gateway project.