CAPSTONE Mission

Why in the News?

Recently, a private company, Advanced Space launched NASA-financed spacecraft named Capstone.

Full Form:
- Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment
It is a CubeSat Mission of NASA.
Purpose: It will study a specific orbit where NASA plans to build a small space station for astronauts to stop at before and after going to the moon’s surface.
Objectives:
- Verify the characteristics of a cis-lunar near rectilinear halo orbit for future spacecraft
- Demonstrate entering and maintaining this unique orbit that provides a highly-efficient path to the Moon’s surface and back.
- Lay a foundation for commercial support of future lunar operations.
According to NASA, it is expected to be the first-ever spacecraft to operate in a near rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon.
It will provide NASA and its partners with important insights to support the exploration of the Moon and Mars, including demonstration of spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation services.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will serve as a reference point for CAPSTONE.