NASA has successfully re-established contact with CAPSTONE, the small satellite it launched into space to explore a unique orbit around the Moon.
After the spacecraft was successfully deployed on July 4 from the Lunar Rocket Lab, CAPSTONE’s communications with NASA were interrupted. At 9:26 a.m. ET on July 6, space agency reset contact with the spacecraft and concluded that CAPSTONE is still in good health and on the right track to the Moon.
The HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENTS The mission is an important step in advancing NASA Artemis this program will culminate with NASA landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon. The purpose of CAPSTONE (Cislunar Automatic Navigation and Operational System Operation and Navigation) is to test different technologies in lunar orbit known as “near-linear halo orbit” (NRHO). . In the near future, NASA wants to use this particular orbit as a guide Enntrance gate – a space station that will support the Artemis mission and deep space exploration.
CAPSTONE’s journey to lunar orbit will take about four months. Satellite launched from Earth on June 28 on a Rocket Lab rocket. Now that CAPSTONE is completely detached from the rocket, it will use its own thrust and the Sun’s gravity to navigate the rest of the way.
However, it needs to do some orbit correction. The first session was scheduled for the morning of July 5. That was delayed due to communication issues. However, the maneuver is now back up and running and is expected to happen as early as 11:30 a.m. ET on July 7.
The first orbital correction is intended to initiate a series of small corrections, increasing the accuracy of the transition to lunar orbit. After successfully completing the maneuver, the spacecraft remained en route to lunar orbit on November 13. The Advanced Space Mission Team that initially re-established communications confirmed that CAPSTONE was in place. its expected location and they are continuing to work to isolate the source of the communication invalidation. Testing so far shows that the problem is triggered by the operating activities of the communication system.
Despite this minor setback, other milestones in CAPSTONE’s initial rollout were achieved as expected. The spacecraft deployed its solar arrays, stabilized it, started charging its onboard batteries, and ready its propulsion system for its first maneuver. CAPSTONE also made initial contact with the Deep Space Network (DSN), the spacecraft’s communications ground segmentation facility in Madrid, Spain, followed by signals to a communications center in Goldstone, California. This allows operators to determine the approximate position and velocity of the CubeSat.
Once it arrives in orbit, CAPSTONE intends to orbit the Moon for a period of at least six months to collect data on the characteristics of the orbit – specifically the power and thrust requirements to sustain it. its orbit as predicted by NASA models. By transmitting this data to NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which has been orbiting the Moon since 2009, as well as ground stations, CAPSTONE will also demonstrate the capabilities of spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solutions, as well as communication standards with The earth.
The success of CAPSTONE will mark the latest success in a winning streak for smaller and less expensive spacecraft, and will pave the way and expand the opportunities for sister space exploration missions to destinations across the Solar System.
