description HALO Orbit Spacecraft (CAPSTONE) Overview
CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) is a 12-unit CubeSat launched by NASA in 2022. Its primary objective was to test and verify the stability of a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. This specific orbital trajectory is the same one planned for the future Lunar Gateway space station, making CAPSTONE a critical pathfinder mission. The spacecraft successfully entered the lunar orbit and demonstrated autonomous navigation technologies.
insights Ranking position
HALO Orbit Spacecraft (CAPSTONE) ranks #111 of 187 in the Satellite ranking, behind Meteosat-9, ahead of WorldView-1.
help HALO Orbit Spacecraft (CAPSTONE) FAQ
What orbit did CAPSTONE test around the Moon?
CAPSTONE tested a near-rectilinear halo orbit, commonly shortened to NRHO. This elongated orbit is planned for NASA's Gateway station because it combines access to the lunar south polar region with regular communication opportunities.
How large is the CAPSTONE spacecraft?
CAPSTONE is a 12-unit CubeSat built for NASA and operated by Advanced Space. Its compact design demonstrated that a small spacecraft could navigate and operate in the same unusual lunar orbit planned for Gateway.
When did CAPSTONE reach lunar orbit?
The spacecraft launched in June 2022 and entered its intended lunar orbit in November 2022. It reached the Moon using a fuel-efficient ballistic lunar transfer rather than a short direct trajectory.
What is CAPSTONE's relationship to NASA's Lunar Gateway?
CAPSTONE is not a module of Gateway. It is a pathfinder that gathered operational data about the NRHO planned for Gateway and tested navigation technology with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
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