The small satellite stopped communicating with engineers on July 4, shortly after it was launched from an Electron rocket shuttle and left Earth’s orbit. A NASA spokesperson told Space.com that the team has solid trajectory information for CAPSTONE and operators are trying to re-establish contact with the cubesat. “If necessary, the mission has enough fuel to delay the initial orbit correction maneuver after separation for several days,” the spokesperson told the site. CAPSTONE spent six days building speed in orbit on a Rocket Lab Electron booster and finally deployed yesterday, on a journey to the Moon. The plan is for CAPSTONE to enter a nearly straight halo orbit around the Moon on November 13, serving as a test for NASA’s Artemis mission. With Artemis, NASA plans to install a space station called the Lunar Gateway in lunar orbit, which will serve as a permanent floating base for lunar visitors, complete with living quarters and a laboratory. NASA plans to launch the Artemis 1 mission between August 23 and September 6 with the deployment of an unmanned Orion module, which will orbit the Moon and provide data on how the journey might affect the human body. After that, four astronauts will take off for the lunar satellite. Eventually, some time after 2025, NASA plans to put humans back on the Moon. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
