NASA's CAPSTONE becomes first ever CubeSat to reach Moon
What's the story
NASA's CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) spacecraft has successfully entered the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO).
It will be the first-ever CubeSat to operate on the Moon.
NRHO is the same orbit that will be used by Gateway, the Moon-orbiting space station. It will support the space agency's upcoming Artemis missions which will land astronauts on the Moon.
Context
Why does this story matter?
CAPSTONE, a 25kg spacecraft, was launched earlier this year in June. It was sent to test the elliptical lunar orbit as NASA is planning to send astronauts to the Moon in a few years.
However, the ride to the Moon was a rough one. Recently, researchers carried out a rescue operation on the spacecraft after a valve-related problem caused it to spin uncontrollably.
Twitter Post
Take a look at NASA's announcement
MISSION UPDATE: #CAPSTONE has arrived at the Moon!
— NASA Ames (@NASAAmes) November 14, 2022
After a 4-month journey through space, our microwave-oven sized #CubeSat should have now entered the unique elongated orbit that will be used by our future lunar space station, @NASA_Gateway.
Learn more: https://t.co/MRFp5bXgGR pic.twitter.com/jrWjeHSP4M
Properties
What are CubeSats?
CubeSats were developed in 1999 by California Polytechnic State University and Stanford University to provide a cost-effective platform for scientific investigations.
These satellites have a standard size and form factor. The standard CubeSat size is one unit (1U) measuring 10x10x10cm and is extendable to larger sizes: 1.5, 2, 3, 6, and 12U.
NASA's first CubeSat, the GeneSat was launched in December 2006.
Details
What is CAPSTONE's objective?
The prime objective of CAPSTONE is to validate the characteristics of the Moon's elongated orbit. The 25kg spacecraft will fly in the cislunar region—the orbital space around Moon—for at least six months.
In the NRHO, every seven days the spacecraft can make a near pass of 1,600km from Moon's north pole while it remains 70,000km away from its south pole.
Information
Experts will investigate the data obtained from the CubeSat
Through an official blog post, NASA said that in the next five days, CAPSTONE will perform two more clean-up maneuvers to refine its orbit. Once they are completed, a research team will review the data to confirm that CAPSTONE remains on track in the NRHO.
Directions
NASA's LRO will help navigate CAPSTONE
CAPSTONE is carrying a flight computer and radio, to track its orbital path around the Moon.
NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), which has been circling the Moon since 2009, will serve as the reference point for the spacecraft.
The obtained information will be fed into CAPSTONE's autonomous navigation software CAPS (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System). This can eliminate reliance on ground-based tracking facilities from Earth.