Source
New Small Spacecraft Technology Demonstration Mission at the Moon
NASA announced the CAPSTONE 02 mission to demonstrate autonomous navigation and communication capabilities using two small spacecraft in lunar orbit. The mission supports infrastructure for the Artemis program, Moon Base, and deep space exploration.
Why it matters
This technology is necessary for astronauts to safely dock with lunar landers during crew transfers to the surface. It also reduces dependence on Earth-based tracking for spacecraft positioning.
The details
- The mission is targeted for launch in 2027.
- Two identical spacecraft from Terran Orbital Systems will each weigh approximately 400 kilograms.
- The project tests three NASA-developed navigation software suites and an optical imaging payload.
Show entities and relationshipsHide entities and relationships
In this article
Companies
Technologies
Countries
Key connections
NASA is a partner of Advanced Space
NASA is a partner of Terran Orbital
NASA employs Christopher Baker
Christopher Baker works at NASA
Show 11 more connectionsShow fewer connections
NASA employs Sean Fuller
Sean Fuller works at NASA
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a partner of NASA
CAPSTONE 02 is built with Terran Orbital
CAPSTONE 02 is related to Artemis
CAPSTONE 02 is related to Orion
CAPSTONE 02 is related to CAPSTONE
NASA owns CAPSTONE 02
NASA developed and operates the CAPSTONE 02 mission
NASA is related to United States
NASA announced U.S. spacewalk 99.
Related events
NASA Announces CAPSTONE 02 Spacecraft Technology Demonstration Mission
Get the weekly recap
The stories like this one, picked and explained — once a week, straight to your inbox.