Mission CAPSTONE: NASA's quest to examine the Moon's orbit delayed till June 13

NASA's CAPSTONE mission, which would examine a never-studied-before orbit of the Moon, has suffered its first delay. In the latest update, Rocket Lab, which is providing the launch vehicle for CAPSTONE, announced that the CubeSat's liftoff has been postponed from June 6 to June 13. According to Rocket Lab, the launch window opens on June 13 at 2:33 pm (IST) and extends till June 22 at 1:42 pm.

The California-based launch-providing company has been fairly active in giving updates on what would be its first-ever Moon mission. Recently, the company shared a timelapse clip of the CAPSTONE being integrated into the Lunar Photon spacecraft bus which would push the CubeSat further toward the Moon. 

Understanding the CAPSTONE mission

The prime objective of the mission is to verify the characteristics of a cis-lunar Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NHRO) for future spacecraft. The mission's name itself stands for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE).

(Orbit of CAPSTONE CubeSat around the Moon; Image: NASA)

In simple terms, this orbit is considered unique as it provides a highly efficient path to the Moon’s surface and back. NASA calls this orbit a gravitationally "sweet spot" as the gravitational influence by the Earth and the Moon cancel each other out which results in a highly stable orbit. What's more, is that a highly stable orbit is extremely advantageous since it enables a spacecraft installed there to function longer with higher fuel efficiency. 

In this case, the NHRO is being tested to ensure its viability before installing the Lunar Gateway into the same orbit. The Gateway is the mega plan by NASA and its partners as it would be an outpost supporting the Artemis Program and the frequent human visits to the Moon. 

To send the spacecraft toward the Moon, Rocket Lab is providing its Electron rocket coupled with the Photon bus. The Electron will first send the CAPSTONE to the low-Earth orbit (LEO) following which the Photon, which has its own engine, will transport the CubeSat 1.3 kilometres further. Weighing approximately 25 kilograms, the satellite is no bigger than a microwave and has been designed to last at least six months. As for Rocket Lab, it would create a new record in its first mission, which is launching the smallest rocket measuring just 59 feet tall for a lunar mission.