• Beginning with a successful CAPSTONE launch, NASA returns to the Moon

    International
    Beginning with a successful CAPSTONE launch, NASA returns to the Moon

    Calculations will be performed to determine the location of the CubeSat in relation to its orbital path using a special payload flight computer and radio for the CAPSTONE mission. The CubeSat satellite will use NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to identify its location in space (LRO). 

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    color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">Digital Desk: On June 28 at 5.55 AM EDT (3.25
    PM IST), Rocket Lab's Electron rocket successfully launched NASA's CAPSTONE
    mission. The event was livestreamed by the space agency, and you can view a
    recording of it by clicking the link below. The spacecraft reached its first
    orbital phase on its voyage to the Moon after successfully completing max q
    (when it faces the maximum structural load), staging, fairing separation,
    battery jettison, and kickstage separation.



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    color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">Calculations will be performed to determine
    the location of the CubeSat in relation to its orbital path using a special
    payload flight computer and radio for the CAPSTONE mission. The CubeSat
    satellite will use NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to identify its location
    in space (LRO). In order to determine its distance from LRO and how quickly it
    is edging away from it, CAPSTONE will directly communicate with LRO and use the
    data from this crosslink. This will let the CubeSat know where it is in space
    with respect to the LRO.



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    color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">During the journey, this data will be used to
    evaluate CAPS (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System), CAPSTONE's autonomous
    navigation system. Future spaceships will be able to locate themselves without
    the use of Earth-based tracking if the programme passes testing.



    color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">If this software is successful, future space
    missions may operate independently of the Earth. As a result, essential
    scientific data could be more reliable when coming from Earth-based antennae
    than from conventional operational tracking.

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