The Terran Orbital satellite, designed and built, opens a pioneering path to the moon in support of NASA’s historic Artemis program and CloseCurlyQuote.
Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP), a world leader in satellite solutions, serving primarily the United States and the Allied aerospace and defense industries, today announced the successful integration of the CAPSTONE spacecraft aboard the Rocket Lab rocket. Electron. The designed and built Terran Orbital satellite flies a research mission to the Moon in support of NASA’s historic Artemis & CloseCurlyQuote program. The Terran Orbital team produced the CAPSTONE & CloseCurlyQuote hardware, assembled and tested the spacecraft, and integrated the satellite for its next launch. The launch will take place from Rocket Lab’s 1st launch complex on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand and CloseCurlyQuote at 10:00 am UTC / 6:00 am EDT / 3:00 am PDT on June 27, 2022. CAPSTONE is owned and operated by Advanced Space on behalf of NASA.
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CAPSTONE is fully integrated into the upper stage Photon (image credit: Rocket Lab)
The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System (CAPSTONE) Operations and Navigation Experiment will be the first spacecraft to test its own Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. CAPSTONE includes a radio tower at the top that expands its size from a traditional 12U form factor. Instead of following the typical direct path to the Moon, CAPSTONE will follow a “ballistic lunar transfer” that will expand its range to 1.5 million kilometers before returning to lunar orbit, saving propellant and allowing the spacecraft complete a mission that was previously impossible for a spaceship of its size.
“CAPSTONE is a huge success for exploring small spacecraft,” said Marc Bell, co-founder, president and CEO of Terran Orbital. “Working alongside NASA, Rocket Lab and Advanced Space has been a privilege. Terran Orbital is proud to have built, designed and integrated the spacecraft for this historic mission and we look forward to running the spacecraft’s operations at throughout the journey of CAPSTONE & CloseCurlyQuote. ”
“CAPSTONE is a great example of how NASA and the industry working together make ambitious exploration possible,” said Jim Reuter, associate director of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. “It’s incredibly exciting to see how this pioneering little satellite begins its journey to the moon.”
“The CAPSTONE mission is a testament to the power of collaboration, technological innovation and perseverance,” said Bradley Cheetham, executive director of Advanced Space and principal investigator at CAPSTONE. “NASA’s industry and team delivered a mission that will enable the sustainable exploration, development and settlement of space. Leading this historic mission for NASA has been an honor. Our teams are focused in the next phase of the launch and finally in the separation of the spacecraft in 6 days. From this point, our small spaceship will fly to the Moon, leading the way for future missions. ”
“Going to the Moon is a team effort and we have phenomenal mission partners at Terran Orbital, Advanced Space and NASA,” said Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab. “Together, we take missions beyond the ‘Earth’s orbit lowers its reach and opens a new path to the moon.’
The launch will be broadcast live from approximately 45 minutes before takeoff at www.nasa.gov/live.
Visit NASA.gov/capstone and www.terranorbital.com/capstone for complete mission information.
For real-time updates on the CAPSTONE mission before launch, follow Terran Orbital, NASA, Rocket Lab, and Advanced Space on Twitter.
@TerranOrbital @NASA @NASAAmes @RocketLab @AdvancedSpace
About Orbital Terran
Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of small satellites serving primarily the United States and the Allied aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital offers end-to-end satellite solutions combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations and in-orbit support to meet the needs of military, civilian and commercial customers more demanding. More information at www.terranorbital.com.
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