CAPSTONE 02 Aims to Map Moon-Earth Gravitational Ballet for Lunar Missions

NASA has completed the first CAPSTONE mission and awarded CAPSTONE 02 to Advanced Space to test complex maneuvers and docking in the Earth–Moon three-body environment. The 2027 launch will involve two small satellites performing formation flying in cislunar space to help NASA, Artemis IV and future lunar operations plan for docking, navigation and operations near the Moon, while signaling growing commercial and Space Force interest in the region.