“The Advanced Space team is reporting on future efforts to mature Gateway technology and,” said Bradley Cheetham, CEO
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The spacecraft’s operations are being conducted by the Advanced Space and Terran Orbital teams along with NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN). Advanced Space is currently navigating the spacecraft: a combination of determining which trajectory the spacecraft is on and designing the maneuvers it will need to guide the spacecraft to the moon.
“We are proud to lead CAPSTONE and the collaboration it represents with NASA and our industry partners,” said Bradley Cheetham, executive director of Advanced Space and principal investigator at CAPSTONE. “The work of the Advanced Space team is informing Gateway and future technological maturation efforts. Our team leverages these uniquely demonstrated capabilities and lessons learned to quickly and efficiently support other programs and priorities in space and the whole solar system, ”Cheetham added.
CAPSTONE will use a highly efficient lunar ballistic transfer (BLT), which takes advantage of the Sun’s gravity to transfer it to the Moon instead of fuel. It will take four months to reach the Moon’s target orbit, an NRHO.
“We have been studying BLT and innovative navigation technologies for more than a decade. We are now watching how these advances have allowed a small spacecraft to drive space exploration. It is very exciting to see all the hard work pay off,” said Dr. Jeffrey Parker, co-founder of Advanced Space, director of technology. “We are ready to pave the way for NASA’s catwalk and open new doors for future space exploration,” Parker added.
CAPSTONE ™ is owned and operated by Advanced Space on behalf of NASA.
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About the advanced space:
Advanced Space (supports the exploration, development and sustainable settlement of space through software and services that take advantage of the unique experience in the field to improve the fundamentals of space flight. Advanced Space is dedicated to improving the development of space). flight dynamics technology and accelerated turnkey missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond Learn more about what Advanced Space is creating, see CAPSTONE for details.
SOURCE Advanced space