Route links
- PMN Business
Author of the article:
The Associated Press
Nick Perry
Date of publication:
July 4, 2022 • 22 minutes ago • 2 minutes of reading • Join the conversation
Content of the article
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – A microwave-sized satellite was successfully released from its orbit around Earth on Monday and headed for the Moon, the last step of NASA’s plan to re-land astronauts on the lunar surface.
It has already been an unusual journey for the Capstone satellite. It was launched six days ago from the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand by the company Rocket Lab on one of its small Electron rockets. The satellite will take four more months to reach the moon, as it navigates with minimal energy.
Announcement 2
This ad has not yet been uploaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck told The Associated Press that it was difficult to express his emotion in words.
“It will probably take a while to sink. It’s been a project that has taken us two, two and a half years and it’s incredibly, incredibly difficult to execute,” he said. “So to see it all tonight and see this spaceship on its way to the moon, it’s absolutely epic.”
Beck said the relatively low cost of the mission (NASA placed it at $ 32.7 million) marked the beginning of a new era for space exploration.
“For tens of millions of dollars, there is now a rocket and a spacecraft that can take you to the Moon, to the asteroids, to Venus, to Mars,” Beck said. “It’s a crazy ability that had never existed before.”
Announcement 3
This ad has not yet been uploaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
If the rest of the mission is successful, the Capstone satellite will send vital information for months as the first to make a new orbit around the Moon called an almost rectilinear halo orbit: an egg shape stretched with one end of the orbit. passing near the moon and the other far from it.
Finally, NASA plans to put a space station called Gateway on the orbital path, from which astronauts can descend to the surface of the Moon as part of its Artemis program.
Beck said the advantage of the new orbit is that it minimizes fuel use and allows the satellite, or a space station, to stay in constant contact with Earth.
The Electron rocket that launched on June 28 from New Zealand carried a second spacecraft called Photon, which separated nine minutes later. The satellite was carried for six days to Photon, with the spacecraft’s engines periodically firing to raise its orbit farther and farther from Earth.
Announcement 4
This ad has not yet been uploaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
A last engine exploded on Monday allowed Photon to break away from Earth’s gravitational pull and send the satellite on its way. The plan now is for the 25-pound (55-pound) satellite to surpass the Moon before falling back into the new lunar orbit on November 13th. The satellite will use small amounts of fuel to make some planned trajectory corrections along the way.
Beck said they will decide over the next few days what to do with Photon, who had completed his tasks and still had some fuel left in the tank.
“There are a number of very interesting missions we can do with this,” Beck said.
For the mission, NASA teamed up with two commercial companies: California-based Rocket Lab and Colorado-based Advanced Space, which owns and operates the Capstone satellite.
——
Find more AP Science coverage at
Share this article on your social network
Announcements
This ad has not yet been uploaded, but your article continues below.
Main news from Financial Post
Sign up to receive the latest daily news from Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
By clicking the sign up button, you agree to receive the previous Postmedia Network Inc. newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your trash folder.
The next issue of Financial Post Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered a problem registering you. Please try again
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil discussion forum and encouraging all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments can take up to an hour to moderate before appearing on the site. We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful. We’ve enabled email notifications – you will now receive an email if you receive a response to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you are following, or if a user is still commenting. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.