NASA's Tiny Capstone Probe Celebrates Successful Mission

NASA's Capstone probe, a small satellite designed to orbit the moon, has successfully completed its mission. The probe, which was launched in December 2020, spent six months in space gathering valuable data about the lunar environment.

Capstone's main objective was to demonstrate the use of a highly elliptical orbit around the moon, known as a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). This orbit is of great interest to NASA as it could serve as a staging point for future lunar missions, including the Artemis program.

During its mission, Capstone successfully demonstrated the stability and maneuverability of the NRHO. It also tested a new navigation system that uses lasers to precisely determine its position in space. These technologies will be crucial for future missions that require precise orbital control.

The success of Capstone's mission is a significant milestone for NASA's lunar exploration plans. It has provided valuable data and insights that will inform the design and planning of future missions to the moon.

With the Artemis program aiming to land astronauts on the moon by 2024, the data gathered by Capstone will be instrumental in ensuring the safety and success of these missions. It will help scientists and engineers better understand the lunar environment and develop strategies to overcome the challenges of long-duration space travel.

NASA is now looking ahead to the next phase of lunar exploration, with plans to send the Artemis I mission, an uncrewed test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, in late 2021. Capstone's success has paved the way for this mission and future endeavors to explore and utilize the moon's resources.