Tag

Capstone

All articles tagged with #capstone

space24 days ago•3 min saved

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.

via Jalopnik|

#capstone #cislunar #docking

space1 month ago•14 min saved

NASA taps Advanced Space to fly CAPSTONE 02 and validate lunar rendezvous with twin smallsats

NASA has selected Advanced Space to fly CAPSTONE 02, a pair of 400‑kg small satellites launching in 2027 to demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations near the Moon in a cislunar environment, including autonomous navigation, communications demos, and radiation measurements, as a risk‑reduction step for Artemis missions. The mission, built by Terran Orbital, will test three‑body orbit operations and payload imaging for lunar testing, continuing the CAPSTONE program that began with a 2022 CubeSat mission to validate lunar Gateway‑style navigation and operations.

via SpaceNews|

#advanced-space #artemis #capstone

space-exploration2 years ago•4 min saved

NASA Tests New "Autopilot" Software for Moon Missions

NASA's CAPSTONE mission, a cubesat launched in 2022, is testing advanced autonomous navigation and maneuvering software in cislunar space. Despite early technical issues, the spacecraft is now operational and aiding in the development of the cislunar Gateway space station. The mission, costing around $30 million, includes testing software for precision navigation, anomaly detection, and deep space maneuvering, aiming to enhance future spacecraft operations in the lunar vicinity.

via SpaceNews|

#autonomous-navigation #capstone #cislunar-space

space3 years ago•3 min saved

"CAPSTONE: A Successful Launch That Continues to Thrive"

CAPSTONE, a privately owned cubesat funded by NASA, continues to operate successfully more than a year after its launch. The spacecraft, owned by Advanced Space, is providing valuable data to support NASA's Artemis lunar exploration efforts. CAPSTONE has completed its primary mission in a near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the moon and is now in an enhanced mission phase focused on automation experiments and data collection. The spacecraft has overcome initial technical challenges and has been instrumental in testing the stability of NRHO and conducting navigation experiments. The experience gained from CAPSTONE will inform Advanced Space's future missions, including the development of the Oracle spacecraft for the Air Force Research Laboratory.

via SpaceNews|

#autonomous-navigation #capstone #lunar-exploration