As part of the Artemis programme, NASA eventually intends to place a space station named Gateway in the orbital route from which astronauts can descend to the moon's surface.
In order to launch the satellite, NASA is working with two private companies. The rocket carrying the satellite, which is owned and operated by the Colorado-based Advanced Space, will be launched by the Californian company Rocket Lab.
If everything goes according to plan, CAPSTONE will be able to start an innovative "near rectilinear halo orbits" around the Moon in four months. The NASA "Gateway" space station, which will orbit the Moon and act as a launching pad for lunar exploration, is being followed by the satellite, which is around the weight of a suitcase.
At its closest, the orbit comes within 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) of the Moon; at its furthest, it is 43,500 miles (70,000 kilometres) away. The orbit should be extremely fuel-efficient, utilising the gravitational pull of both the Moon and the Earth.
The United States eventually intends to place the first woman and the first person of colour on the Moon as part of the same effort. As a stepping stone for a crewed mission to Mars, NASA also intends to construct a moonbase.
The new orbit is known officially as a near-rectilinear halo orbit. It has the shape of an extended egg, with one end passing close to and the other distant from the moon. From your thumb, picture pulling a rubber band back. The rubber band would stand in for the flight route, and your thumb for the moon.
“It will have equilibrium. Poise. Balance," NASA wrote on its website. “This pathfinding CubeSat will practically be able to kick back and rest in a gravitational sweet spot in space – where the pull of gravity from Earth and the Moon interact to allow for a nearly-stable orbit."
