Terran Orbital Corporation, a global leader in satellite solutions, primarily serving the United States and Allied aerospace and defense industries, announced the successful integration of the CAPSTONE spacecraft aboard the Rocket Lab Electron rocket. The Terran Orbital designed and built satellite is flying a pathfinding mission to the moon in support of NASA’s historic Artemis program. The Terran Orbital team produced CAPSTONE’s hardware, assembled and tested the spacecraft, and integrated the satellite for its upcoming launch. The launch will take place from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula as early as 10:00 a.m. UTC / 6:00 a.m. EDT / 3:00 a.m. PDT on June 27, 2022. CAPSTONE is owned and operated by Advanced Space on behalf of NASA.
“Terran Orbital is proud to have built, designed, and integrated the spacecraft for this historic mission and we look forward to running spacecraft operations throughout CAPSTONE’s journey,” said Marc Bell.
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The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) will be the first spacecraft to test the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. CAPSTONE includes a radio tower on top that extends its size from a traditional 12U form factor. Rather than follow the typical direct to Moon path, CAPSTONE will follow a “ballistic lunar transfer” that will extend its reach up to 1.5 million kilometers before returning into lunar orbit – saving propellant and enabling the spacecraft to complete a mission that was previously impossible for a spacecraft of its size.
“CAPSTONE is an enormous achievement for small spacecraft exploration,” said Terran Orbital Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Marc Bell. “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 spacecraft operations throughout CAPSTONE’s journey.”
“CAPSTONE is a great example of how NASA and industry working together makes ambitious exploration possible,” said NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Jim Reuter. “It’s incredibly exciting to see this trailblazing small satellite start its journey to the Moon.”