CAPSTONE

CAPSTONE
	Illustration of the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE)
Names	Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment
Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	Advanced Space
COSPAR ID	2022-070A
SATCAT no.	52914
Mission duration	Planned: 10 months; Elapsed: 2 years, 4 months and 30 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	CAPSTONE
Spacecraft type	12U CubeSat
Bus	CubeSat
Manufacturer	Advanced Space (management); Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems (bus); Stellar Exploration, Inc (propulsion)
Launch mass	25 kg (55 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	28 June 2022, 09:55 UTC
Rocket	Electron/Photon HyperCurie
Launch site	Mahia, LC-1B
Contractor	Rocket Lab
Moon orbiter
Orbital insertion	14 November 2022, 00:38 UTC
Orbits	Near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO)
Orbital parameters
Periselene altitude	1,500 km (930 mi)
Aposelene altitude	70,000 km (43,000 mi)
Inclination	Elliptic polar orbit
	Lunar Gateway PPE →

CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) is a lunar orbiter that is testing and verifying the calculated orbital stability planned for the Lunar Gateway space station. The spacecraft is a 12-unit CubeSat that is also testing a navigation system that is measuring its position relative to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) without relying on ground stations. It was launched on 28 June 2022, arrived in lunar orbit on 14 November 2022, and was scheduled to orbit for six months. On 18 May 2023, it completed its primary mission to orbit in the near-rectilinear halo orbit for six months, but will stay on this orbit, continuing to perform experiments during an enhanced mission phase.^[5]

^ "CAPSTONE". Advanced Space. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
^ ^a ^b "CAPSTONE". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference sfn-20200215 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference rl-20210806 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Tabor, Abby (18 May 2023). "CAPSTONE Takes Moon Shot, Successfully Tests Navigation Technology". NASA. Retrieved 23 May 2023.

[Advanced_Space_CAPSTONE_Mission-1] "CAPSTONE". Advanced Space. Retrieved 15 November 2022.

[CAPSTONE-2] "CAPSTONE". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. Retrieved 9 February 2023.

[sfn-20200215-3] Cite error: The named reference sfn-20200215 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[rl-20210806-4] Cite error: The named reference rl-20210806 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[CAPSTONE_Takes_Moon_Shot,_Successfully_Tests_Navigation_Technology-5] Tabor, Abby (18 May 2023). "CAPSTONE Takes Moon Shot, Successfully Tests Navigation Technology". NASA. Retrieved 23 May 2023.

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