Today, November 13, CAPSTONE will reach the Moon and become the first spacecraft to enter into a unique, elongated orbit that will support NASA's Artemis missions. Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) is a microwave oven-sized satellite
, by validating innovative navigation technologies and verifying the dynamics of a type of halo-shaped orbit that has never been flown before.
This route – called a ballistic lunar transfer – follows gravitational contours in deep space and allows spacecraft to reach their destination expending little energy. Advanced Space, a Colorado small business that owns and operates CAPSTONE on behalf of NASA designed this unique trajectory. CAPSTONE revealed in lunar Sunrise: CAPSTONE will fly in cislunar space – the orbital space near and around the Moon. The mission will demonstrate an innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solution at the Moon from a near rectilinear halo orbit slated for Artemis’ Gateway. Credit: Illustration by NASA/Daniel Rutter
Beyond that, other goals still lay ahead for this pathfinder CubeSat. Once in lunar orbit, CAPSTONE is scheduled to fire its thrusters once every six-and-a-half days, if needed, to stay on its orbit for at least six months, allowing NASA and its partners to understand how to operate in this unique orbit. Specifically, CAPSTONE will validate the propulsion requirements for maintaining its orbit as predicted by models, reducing logistical uncertainties for future spacecraft.
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