After CAPSTONE successfully left Earth orbit, it began charging its onboard battery using solar arrays, according to an update from NASA. The CubeSat is awaiting orbit correction and remains on the overall predicted course for its lunar ballistic transfer, NASA said.
Leaving Earth’s orbit
The satellite will rely on its own thrust and the sun’s gravity for the rest of its journey. Gravity will allow the CubeSat to use significantly less fuel to reach its destination. The mission launched on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula on June 28. The goal of CubeSats is to enter an elongated orbit, which is a nearly rectilinear halo orbit, around the moon for at least six months for research purposes. The satellite’s orbit will bring the spacecraft within 1,000 miles (1,609.3 km) of one lunar pole on its closest pass and within 43,500 miles (70,006.5 km) of the other pole every seven days. The mission team hopes the satellite can maintain its orbit, which could allow the agency to launch and deploy a lunar outpost called Gateway. The outpost would play a critical role in NASA’s Artemis program by providing the future spacecraft with an efficient route to and from the lunar surface. In addition, the small satellite will also test its communication capabilities. The orbit offers views of Earth while providing coverage of the lunar south pole, which is the planned landing site for Artemis astronauts in 2025. The CubeSat will also communicate with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft that has been circling the moon for 13 years. It will act as a reference point for the satellite and allow scientists to measure the distance between the CubeSat and LRO, as well as where the CAPSTONE is in the sky. Space enthusiasts can track the satellite’s journey using NASA’s Eyes on the Solar System.
