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NASA Tests Twin Probes For Artemis Lunar Base
['Paulo Montenegro', 'On Pdt']
Ubergizmo
NASA is advancing its long-term lunar exploration strategy with the upcoming launch of the CAPSTONE 02 mission, which will deploy two maneuverable probes to conduct critical gravitational, flight, and navigational tests in cislunar space.
The primary objective of CAPSTONE 02 is to evaluate how complex gravitational forces near the Moon affect spacecraft flying in close formation.
Throughout the joint flight tests, the probes will evaluate celestial navigation techniques, optical tracking sensors, ground-based telescope data integration, and direct inter-spacecraft communication systems.
CAPSTONE 02 builds directly on the original CAPSTONE mission launched in 2022.
By advancing those preliminary tests into multi-spacecraft formation flying, CAPSTONE 02 aims to solidify essential lunar navigation capabilities.