NASA reconnects with a satellite released from Earth’s orbit

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NASA has reconnected one of its satellites that stopped communicating on its way to the moon.

The engineers were able to Call the little CubeSat On Wednesday, after I lost contact with deep space network Tuesday. DSN is a NASA radio antenna network that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions as well as certain Earth orbits.

CubeSat is Cislunar’s autonomous GPS and navigation technology experience, Also known as CAPSTONE. The satellite left Earth’s orbit on Monday, marking a significant milestone in its planned four-month journey to the moon.

Communication difficulties forced the mission team to delay the first satellite course correction maneuver scheduled for July 5, NASA said. This is a series of corrections planned to increase the accuracy of the orbital transfer to the Moon.

After CAPSTONE successfully left Earth orbit, it has begun charging its onboard battery using solar arrays, according to an update from NASA.

NASA said that the CubeSat satellite is waiting for a course correction and remains in the general path intended for its ballistic transfer to the moon.

The satellite will rely on its own thrust and the Sun’s gravity for the rest of its journey. Gravity will allow the CubeSat to use significantly less fuel to reach its destination.

The mission was launched aboard a Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from the Rocket Lab 1 launch complex on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand on June 28.

The CubeSats’ goal is to enter an elongated orbit, a semi-straight halo orbit, around the Moon for at least six months for research purposes.

The satellite’s orbit will bring the spacecraft within 1,000 miles (1,609.3 km) from one lunar pole in its closest pass and within 43,500 miles (70006.5 km) from the other pole every seven days.

The mission team hopes that the satellite will be able to maintain its orbit, which could allow the agency to launch and establish a lunar outpost called the gate. outpost You will play an important role in NASA Artemis program By providing an efficient path for future spacecraft To and from the surface of the moon.

In addition, the small satellite will also test its communication capabilities. The orbiter offers a view of Earth while providing coverage of the Moon’s south pole, the scheduled landing point for Artemis astronauts in 2025.

The CubeSat satellite will also communicate with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft that has been orbiting the moon for 13 years. It will serve as a reference point for the satellite and allow scientists to measure the distance between the CubeSat and LRO, as well as where CAPSTONE is in the sky.

Space enthusiasts can track satellite flight with NASA Eyes on the solar system.