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Before NASA’s Artemis astronauts go to the Moon,

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a small spacecraft called CAPSTONE will help lead the way.

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The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment

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will test a unique lunar orbit that has never been flown before.

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This orbit will be home for NASA’s Gateway...

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the future space outpost that will support visiting astronauts on their way to the Moon and beyond.

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To help prepare for Gateway operations in this orbit, CAPSTONE will fly the path first.

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The mission will be led by small business partner Advanced Space.

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Rocket Lab will launch the spacecraft.

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The gravities of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon will help propel it into deep space.

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As it nears its destination, CAPSTONE will use its propulsion system 
to enter an elongated path around the Moon.

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The spacecraft will orbit between the gravities of Earth and the Moon in a precisely balanced dance.

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For six months, it will gather data about this crown-shaped trajectory known as a near rectilinear halo orbit.

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The path provides an unobstructed view of Earth as it orbits the Moon’s poles.

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and allows for continuous communications with ground-based control centers.

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CAPSTONE will also demonstrate a new onboard navigation system.

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It will communicate with NASA’s Moon observing Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite to calculate its position.

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The technology could allow future spacecraft to pinpoint their location without having to entirely rely on tracking from Earth.