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After a maneuver on Sept. 8, NASA’s CAPSTONE spacecraft experienced a problem with its onboard reaction wheels spinning too fast to control or counteract it. Members of the CAPSTONE team successfully completed the derotation operation on October 7th. Data from CAPSTONE suggests this was most likely caused by a problem with a valve in one of her eight thrusters on the spacecraft. A partially open valve can cause the engine to generate thrust every time the system is pressurized.
On Friday morning, the order to retrieve the spacecraft was carried out. Early spacecraft telemetry and observation data indicate that the maneuver was a success. The team concluded that he had regained full three-axis postural control. This means that the position of the CAPSTONE can be controlled without going into unplanned rotations. The team now points the solar array toward the sun and tunes the antenna for a better data link with Earth.
The CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) mission sent a microwave-sized CubeSat weighing about 25 kilograms into space to test its unique elliptical lunar orbit. Orbits called Near Straight Halo Orbits (NRHOs) are very long and lie at the exact equilibrium point of the gravitational forces of the Earth and the Moon.
This orbit requires minimal power to provide and maintain stability for long-term missions like the Gateway Space Station. It also helps create an ideal base location for missions to the Moon and beyond. CAPSTONE will also help mitigate future spaceflight risks by validating new navigation techniques and validating this halo-shaped trajectory. The spacecraft is currently scheduled to reach lunar orbit on November 13th.