NASA Satellite De-Orbits The Earth And Flies Towards The Moon
The grand plan to return humans to the moon for the first time in more than half a century has taken another step forward.
The 55-pound vehicle (an experiment on the technology of operating and navigating a circumlunar autonomous positioning system) has broken out of Earth’s orbit and is heading towards the Moon.
According to the portal, Capstone was launched on June 28, 2022 from New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula by Rocket Lab. Since it moves with minimal energy, it will take the satellite four months to reach the moon.
If the rest of the mission is successful, Capstone will be the first satellite to orbit the Moon. Ultimately, NASA plans to launch a space station called the Gateway into orbit, from which astronauts will be able to descend to the surface of the moon as part of their Artemis program.
The advantage of a satellite-designed flight path is that it minimizes fuel consumption and allows the satellite or space station to remain in constant contact with the Earth.
Scientists plan for the satellite to circle the moon before returning to orbit on November 13.
