NASA microsatellite “CAPSTONE” communication problem postponed first orbit correction operation | sorae Portal site to space

NASA plans to test in orbit around the moon on July 5th.Problems with communication with the microsatellite “CAPSTONE”Clarified that is occurring.As of noon on July 6, Japan time, communication with CAPSTONE seems to have been cut off, and the operation teamReestablishment of communicationIs working on.

CAPSTONE is a relatively small satellite (CubeSat standard 12U size, about the size of a microwave oven) with a total length of 61 cm and a weight of 25 kg.“gateway”Will flyMoon-length elliptical polar orbitIt was launched for operational testing at (NRHO: Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit). Manufacturing and operation are handled by Advanced Space, Inc. of the United States.

Rocket Lab’s small spacecraft“Photon”The CAPSTONE installed in the company was released on June 28th.“electron”It was launched by a rocket and put into orbit around the earth with photons. CAPSTONE, which gradually increased its apogee altitude using the Photon engine, entered the orbit toward the moon 6 days after the launch, and was separated from the Photon at 16:18 on July 4, 2022, Japan time. Also successful. It is scheduled to enter the lunar elliptical polar orbit on November 13, four months later.

Lunar Photon is fueled and ready for launch ????????️

To learn more about today’s historic mission, check out the full mission info kit: https://t.co/exqTRPs1vX pic.twitter.com/u2NaQTEop1

— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) June 27, 2022

【▲ Equipped with a microsatellite “CAPST ONE”Rocket Lab’s “Photon” (Credit: Rocket Lab)]

According to NASA and Advanced Space, CAPSTONE has been operating normally for 11 hours after photon separation.Achieved deployment of solar cell array and triaxial attitude controlAfter that, NASA’sDeep Space Communication Network “Deep Space Network”(DSN: Deep Space Network)Communication between Madrid station and CAPSTONEWas done.The operations team, which has begun inspection and test run of the aircraft, is preparing for the first orbit correction scheduled for July 5.Position and speed of CAPSTONEIndex,Test run of propulsion systemI also go.

However, during the communication with the Goldstone station following the Madrid station,Problems with the communication systemIt is said that it was done. NASA website that displays the communication status of DSN in real time「DSN Now」If you refer to, it seems that the signal is being sent from the ground station to CAPSTONE, but the signal has not arrived from CAPSTONE to the ground station, and communication has not been established. As mentioned at the beginning, the operations team is working to reestablish lost communications.

Also, in response to a communication problem,Orbit correction operation on July 5 is postponedit was done. According to NASA, the approximate position and speed of CAPSTONE has been determined by two communications with the ground station, and it also has enough fuel to delay the orbit correction operation by several days if necessary. It is about. We will keep you updated on the status of CAPSTONE as new information becomes available.

Source

• Image Credit: NASA/Daniel Rutter
• NASA – Further Details on Communications Issues with NASA’s CAPSTONE
• NASA – CAPSTONE Update on Communications Issue
• Advanced Space – CAPSTONE Mission: 05 July 2022 Update
• DSN Now

Text/Matsumura Takehiro