By NASA
September 21, 2022
CAPSTONE in orbit near the Moon: Once launched from Rocket Labs Photon satellite bus, CAPSTONE will utilize its propulsion system to travel for approximately 3 months before participating in orbit around the Moon. Credit: Illustration by NASA/Daniel Rutter
On the evening of September 8, the CAPSTONE spacecraft performed a planned trajectory correction maneuver. Subsequently, navigation data exposed that the spacecraft was tumbling and mission controllers discovered that the onboard computer systems were periodically resetting.
Over the past week, the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) spacecraft was able to enhance thermal conditions for the propellant and other critical systems while keeping positive power generation. In preparation for an effort to stop CAPSTONEs spin, the operations team has actually been carrying out ground and spacecraft testing. When preparations and screening are ended up, this operation– which would bring back the spacecraft to typical operation status– will be tried.
Updates will be supplied as they end up being available.