NASA satellite: “Capstone” reaches lunar orbit | tagesschau.de

The journey took four months – now the satellite “Capstone” has reached the orbit of the moon. NASA’s microwave-sized missile is testing the conditions for the Gateway space station.

NASA’s Capstone satellite has reached its lunar destination four months after launch from a New Zealand spaceport. The US space agency NASA announced that the mini-satellite had swung into the intended orbit of the moon.

The missile, the size of a microwave, is now expected to orbit the moon exactly on the orbit intended for the planned “Gateway” space station. In this way, possible risks for the station should be ruled out in advance.

Waystation for manned missions to the moon

The satellite was launched from New Zealand at the end of June aboard a Rocket Lab “Electron” rocket. The test is part of the ambitious “Artemis” program to land US astronauts back on the moon.

The “Gateway” space station, in which the European Space Agency ESA is also involved, is intended to serve as an intermediate station for manned missions to the moon – and later possibly also as a station for missions to Mars.