Capstone, short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, is the size of a microwave oven and is designed to circle the moon via an eccentric elliptical orbit (formally known as a quasi-rectilinear halo orbit) that has never been flown by a spacecraft. before.
Capstone controls the route ahead of NASA’s plans to build a space station named Gateway to orbit the same. The Gateway will be a reference point for the Artemis astronauts, equipment and supplies on their way to the lunar surface.
The small satellite is expected to perform its initial orbit insertion maneuver at 4:18 p.m. PT on Sunday. The spacecraft’s propulsion system will fire at just the right moment while traveling at 3,800 miles per hour (6,116 kilometers per hour) to enter the special orbital path, which will allow it to circle the moon along a path much fuel efficient, relying on the gravitational pull of the moon and Earth to stay on course.
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It is expected to take about a week for mission engineers to confirm and refine Capstone’s course after orbital insertion.
Capstone’s journey to the moon was tumultuous. The compact craft lost contact with Earth briefly in July and later suffered a major technical problem that caused it to fall out of control for a period. The team was eventually able to orient it, control it and return it to orbit.
“What this Capstone team has accomplished to date has been incredible,” said Bradley Cheetham, Capstone principal investigator and CEO of Advanced Space, in a statement. Advanced Space is a Colorado company that owns and operates Capstone for NASA.
“Overcoming challenges is the purpose of a pathfinding mission,” added Cheetham.
Once in orbit, the Capstone is programmed to fire its thrusters only once every six and a half days to maintain it, if necessary. The goal is to stay in orbit for at least six months so engineers can learn more about what it will take to keep Gateway and other spacecraft on such a path for many years.
