Electron launches CAPSTONE lunar cubesat
Posted: Sat, Jul 2, 2022, 12:42 PM ET (1642 GMT)
A Rocket Lab Electron launched a NASA lunar cubesat mission this morning. The Electron lifted off from the company's New Zealand launch site at 5:55 a.m. Eastern and placed into orbit the CAPSTONE cubesat and its Photon kick stage. The Photon will fire its HyperCurie engine several times over the next six days to place CAPSTONE on a trajectory to the moon. CAPSTONE, short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, will enter the near-rectilinear halo orbit NASA plans to use for Artemis missions in November, testing its stability and as well as autonomous positioning technologies.
A Rocket Lab Electron launched a NASA lunar cubesat mission this morning. The Electron lifted off from the company's New Zealand launch site at 5:55 a.m. Eastern and placed into orbit the CAPSTONE cubesat and its Photon kick stage. The Photon will fire its HyperCurie engine several times over the next six days to place CAPSTONE on a trajectory to the moon. CAPSTONE, short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, will enter the near-rectilinear halo orbit NASA plans to use for Artemis missions in November, testing its stability and as well as autonomous positioning technologies.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, June 22
Shenzhou-23 crew conducts first in-orbit medical rescue training
Xinhua — 6:11 am ET (1011 GMT) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 24 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from California
SPACE.com — 6:04 am ET (1004 GMT) The most unpredictable meteor shower of the year peaks this week. Here's what to expect
SPACE.com — 6:04 am ET (1004 GMT) Could we actually terraform Mars? Scientists are trying to find out
SPACE.com — 6:04 am ET (1004 GMT) German satellite maker OHB launches share sale with KKR
Reuters — 6:02 am ET (1002 GMT) |
