A NASA satellite reached the Moon and began testing it in orbit

The CAPSTONE satellite has reached lunar orbit, which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to use for its future Gateway space station.

As reported by Ukrinform, this was reported by Space.com.

Thus, CAPSTONE became the first mini-satellite to reach Earth’s nearest neighbor.

According to NASA, the satellite entered lunar orbit on Monday, November 14, at 03:39 Kyiv time.

It has been noted that CAPSTONE is not yet ready to start working because it still needs to fine-tune its orbit around the Moon.

“Two minor corrective maneuvers will be made this week to ensure the spacecraft is locked into a complex lunar orbit,” said representatives of Advanced Space in Colorado (USA), which owns CAPSTONE and operates the satellite for NASA.

As Ukrinform reports, on June 28, the American company Rocket Lab launched an Electron launch vehicle with a 25-kilogram CAPSTONE mini-satellite from NASA on board.

CAPSTONE is going to the Moon to test orbital stability, which NASA plans to use for the future Gateway Space Station.

Photograph: NASA/Daniel Rutter

Source: Ukrinform

Maurice

I’m Maurice Knox, a professional news writer with a focus on science. I work for Div Bracket. My articles cover everything from the latest scientific breakthroughs to advances in technology and medicine. I have a passion for understanding the world around us and helping people stay informed about important developments in science and beyond.