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Updated September 18th, 2022 at 19:13 IST

NASA CAPSTONE: Mission controllers share 'relatively good news' about CubeSat's condition

NASA-funded CAPSTONE mission is currently on its way to the Moon and will enter a non-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) on November 13, as per the schedule.

Reported by: Harsh Vardhan
NASA
Image: NASA | Image:self
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The mission controllers of the CAPSTONE spacecraft bound for the Moon have shared what they call a “relatively good news” regarding the status of the probe. Funded by NASA, the CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning Systems Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) mission is being operated by Terran Orbital, and Advanced Space but it is enduring an anomaly on its way to the lunar orbit.

Recently, the spacecraft went tumbling into space and lost communications with NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) and it was forced to enter safe mode. However, Advanced Space, in an update on September 16, said that the communication situation has “dramatically improved” and “the power state of the spacecraft appears to be sufficient for continuous (duty cycled) heating of the propulsion system which dropped below its operational temperature.”

The company has, however, underlined that the power generated by CAPSTONE in the last few days is limited due to its orientation relative to the sun. “Information on the cause of the anomaly has been obtained and is being evaluated, and recovery plans that mitigate the risk of further anomalous behaviour are being developed,” Advanced Space further said. 

Currently, the spacecraft continues to remain in ‘safe mode’ as the teams do not have a definite timeline to make a recovery attempt. Calling it “a dynamic and changing situation”, the company assured that the mission team is working hard to make progress and confirmed that CAPSTONE is stable and on its path.

Where is CAPSTONE headed? 

The CAPSTONE spacecraft, which is basically a CubeSat weighing roughly 25kg, was launched on June 28 from New Zealand and is headed toward the non-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon and is slated to enter this orbit on November 13. The spacecraft will test this orbit to verify its viability for the installation of the Lunar Gateway, a space station planned by NASA in the lunar orbit. 

(The NRHO; Image: NASA)

This Gateway will be used to house astronauts and conduct experiments in zero-gravity and thus felicitate the establishment of permanent lunar bases. CAPSTONE would also test an outer space autonomous navigation technology for usage in future missions. 

Image: NASA

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Published September 18th, 2022 at 19:13 IST

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