Capstone Has Gone Dark
The 55-pound (25 kilograms) NASA probe ceased communicating with its handlers yesterday (July 4)
Shortly After
It deployed successfully from Rocket Lab's Photon spacecraft bus and began its long trek to the moon.
The CAPSTONE Satellite
Is about the size of a microwave. It is on a mission to explore a strange halo-shaped orbit around the moon
CAPSTONE Was Successfully
Launched from New Zealand on June 28. Its initial solo journey to the moon started on July 4 after leaving Earth’s orbit.
Everything Was Going Fine
Until it lost communication with its operators, causing a delay in its trajectory correction maneuvers.
However, NASA's Engineers
Are confident in re-establishing connection with the $30 million spacecraft.
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