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A 34 cm cube from NASA has reached the orbit of the moon. Why was it sent

NASA’s small CAPSTONE spacecraft has entered a predetermined orbit around the Moon and is entering the operational phase of its mission. The microwave-sized CAPSTONE was the first cubesat to do so. NASA said the spacecraft had to fire twice to correct course, and will now stay in orbit for at least six months.

The main task of CAPSTONE is to verify and confirm the calculated orbit for the Gateway space station, which NASA plans to build as part of the Artemis lunar program. Such missions reduce the risk to future spacecraft. They provide an opportunity to test assumptions and demonstrate technologies that the agency intends to use in the future.

Specifically, CAPSTONE will test two new technologies that could help future lunar probes determine their own position in space. One is a microchip-sized atomic clock, and the other is stand-alone navigation software developed by Advanced Space specifically for NASA.

CAPSTONE was launched on June 28 of this year using a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle. His path to the moon was not smooth. A few days later, the cubesat separated from the platform, and communication with it was lost for some time. But the troubles didn’t end there. In September, during a course correction, the craft lost orientation, started spinning, and went into safe mode. The specialists managed to solve this problem, restore control and ultimately deliver the satellite to its destination.

Source: Trash Box

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