Artemis I Moon mission update, lunar flashlight, CAPSTONE success

update on[{” attribute=””>NASA’s Artemis I Moon mission …

The right moves for a small satellite mission …

And a bright idea to search for water ice on the Moon … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

Artemis I Moon mission still targeting November launch

NASA still targeting November 14 to launch space launch system missile and Orion spacecraft on me Artemis I. An unmanned flight test will send Orion beyond the Moon and back to Earth.

CAPSTONE is revealed at sunrise on the moon: CAPSTONE will fly into lunar space – the orbital space near and around the moon. The mission will demonstrate an innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solution on the Moon from a semi-rectangular halo orbit scheduled for the Artemis Gateway. Credit: NASA illustration/Daniel Rutter

CAPSTONE completes successful maneuver

distance Successful course correction maneuverThe CAPSTONE spacecraft It is still expected to reach lunar orbit on November 13. CAPSTONE will experience the same unique elliptical lunar orbit that lunar outpost gate will be used as part of NASA’s Artemis Program.

This illustration shows the lunar flash light over NASA’s Moon. The SmallSat mission will have an extremely long orbit, taking it within 9 miles (15 kilometers) of the moon’s south pole to search for water ice in the moon’s darkest craters. credit: NASA

Searching the Moon’s Antarctic Craters for Water Ice

NASA agency lunar flashlight It is a small satellite that will use a laser to search for water ice inside the moon’s darkest craters. Water ice could provide a valuable resource for astronauts on future lunar missions. Lunar Flashlight is scheduled to launch in November.

This visualization simulates the illumination at the Moon’s south pole in 2023. The field of view includes the area south of 88°S latitude. Credit: NASA’s Science Visualization Studio

Illumination at the south pole of the moon

This NASA visualization simulates the illumination of the moon’s south pole for 2023 and gives you an idea of ​​what some of the craters will look like from above. Data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was used to create this visualization.

That’s what’s up this week @NASA…