CAPSTONE Becomes First Probe to Enter Unique Halo Orbit Around the Moon
Animated image showing CAPSTONE’s highly elliptical NRHO around the Moon. Gif: Advanced SpaceNASA’s Artemis program took an important step forward thisweekend, with CAPSTONE finally reaching its destination—a near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. The 55-pound cubesat will now test this promising orbit in preparation for the Gateway lunar space station.CAPSTONE, short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, reached NRHO on Sunday, November 13, according to…