For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
- smp
- Inter-Galactic Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 3417
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 10:34 pm
- 4
- Location: NH, USA
- Status:
Offline
For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
From Ars Technica:
"The space agency is financially supporting the privately built satellite, named CAPSTONE, with a $13.7 million grant. It is scheduled to launch on an Electron rocket as early as Saturday from New Zealand. Developed by a Colorado-based company named Advanced Space, the spacecraft itself is modestly sized, just a 12U cubesat with a mass of around 25 kg. It could fit comfortably inside a mini-refrigerator."
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/06 ... -the-moon/
Good luck!
smp
"The space agency is financially supporting the privately built satellite, named CAPSTONE, with a $13.7 million grant. It is scheduled to launch on an Electron rocket as early as Saturday from New Zealand. Developed by a Colorado-based company named Advanced Space, the spacecraft itself is modestly sized, just a 12U cubesat with a mass of around 25 kg. It could fit comfortably inside a mini-refrigerator."
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/06 ... -the-moon/
Good luck!
smp
Stephen
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- GCoyote
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2708
- Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:53 am
- 4
- Location: Laurel, MD, USA
- Status:
Offline
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Interesting plan for lunar transfer and a novel orbit. The propellant saving trajectory makes this a case of "better, slower, cheaper".
Any metaphor will tear if stretched over too much reality.
Gary C
Celestron Astro Master 130mm f5 Newtonian GEM
Meade 114-EQ-DH f7.9 Newtonian w/ manual GEM
Bushnell 90mm f13.9 Catadioptric
Gskyer 80mm f5 Alt/Az refractor
Jason 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron 7x50 Binoculars
Svbony 2.1x42 Binoculars
(And a bunch of stuff I'm still trying to fix or find parts for.)
Gary C
Celestron Astro Master 130mm f5 Newtonian GEM
Meade 114-EQ-DH f7.9 Newtonian w/ manual GEM
Bushnell 90mm f13.9 Catadioptric
Gskyer 80mm f5 Alt/Az refractor
Jason 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron 7x50 Binoculars
Svbony 2.1x42 Binoculars
(And a bunch of stuff I'm still trying to fix or find parts for.)
- Johnny Carter
- Saturn Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2022 8:41 pm
- 2
- Location: Tin Top & Uvalde TX
- Status:
Offline
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
I read this this morning, very interesting things going on these days.
I’ve learned a lot since I knew it all.
150mm Orion Mak-Cass, Orion StarSeeker IV GoTo mount, Telrad.
Orion 10 & 23mm (set 1.25), Explore Scientific 9 & 18mm, 2x GSO Barlow, just purchased 2” Orion twist diagonal, GSO 32mm plossl and Agena 8-24 zoom.
150mm Orion Mak-Cass, Orion StarSeeker IV GoTo mount, Telrad.
Orion 10 & 23mm (set 1.25), Explore Scientific 9 & 18mm, 2x GSO Barlow, just purchased 2” Orion twist diagonal, GSO 32mm plossl and Agena 8-24 zoom.
- Unitron48
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2763
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:48 am
- 4
- Location: Culpeper, VA (USA)
- Status:
Online
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Interesting mission! CAPSTONE launched today: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/caps ... n-missions.
Looking forward to updates!
Dave
Looking forward to updates!
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
- Unitron48
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2763
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:48 am
- 4
- Location: Culpeper, VA (USA)
- Status:
Online
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Latest on CAPSTONE:
"Advanced Space LLC, the commercial aerospace company that owns and operates the CAPSTONE mission bound for the Moon in support of NASA will separate from the Rocket Lab Lunar Photon vehicle on Monday, July 4 2022 to begin it's journey via Ballistic Lunar Transfer to arrive at the Moon in November."
Dave
"Advanced Space LLC, the commercial aerospace company that owns and operates the CAPSTONE mission bound for the Moon in support of NASA will separate from the Rocket Lab Lunar Photon vehicle on Monday, July 4 2022 to begin it's journey via Ballistic Lunar Transfer to arrive at the Moon in November."
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
- helicon
- Co-Administrator
- Articles: 592
- Posts: 12357
- Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
- 4
- Location: Washington
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Thanks for the update Dave!
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
- Unitron48
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2763
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:48 am
- 4
- Location: Culpeper, VA (USA)
- Status:
Online
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
CAPSTONE mission is Moon-bound, after less rocketry than expected! The full article is here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo ... ar-AAZcPRM.
"NASA and commercial space outfits Rocket Lab and Advanced Space have collectively announced that the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment – CAPSTONE – mission has left Earth orbit and is on its way to Luna.…The CAPSTONE mission plan called for the satellite to launch from New Zealand atop a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle, then enter Earth orbit before a series of eight burns accelerated it to over 40,000km/h – enough to escape our planet's gravity and send it towards the Moon."
It's on its way!!
Dave
"NASA and commercial space outfits Rocket Lab and Advanced Space have collectively announced that the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment – CAPSTONE – mission has left Earth orbit and is on its way to Luna.…The CAPSTONE mission plan called for the satellite to launch from New Zealand atop a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle, then enter Earth orbit before a series of eight burns accelerated it to over 40,000km/h – enough to escape our planet's gravity and send it towards the Moon."
It's on its way!!
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
- smp
- Inter-Galactic Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 3417
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 10:34 pm
- 4
- Location: NH, USA
- Status:
Offline
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Thanks for this latest update, Dave!
smp
smp
Stephen
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- Unitron48
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2763
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:48 am
- 4
- Location: Culpeper, VA (USA)
- Status:
Online
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Bad news: NASA Has Lost Contact With CAPSTONE, Its Latest Lunar Mission: https://www.iflscience.com/nasa-has-los ... sion-64325.
"The CAPSTONE mission is experiencing communication issues with the Deep Space Network, a troubling development for the NASA mission which just broke orbit on July 4. The spacecraft was expected to perform its first trajectory correction maneuver on July 5 but this has now been postponed."
Hope they can find and fix the problem.
Dave
"The CAPSTONE mission is experiencing communication issues with the Deep Space Network, a troubling development for the NASA mission which just broke orbit on July 4. The spacecraft was expected to perform its first trajectory correction maneuver on July 5 but this has now been postponed."
Hope they can find and fix the problem.
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
- smp
- Inter-Galactic Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 3417
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 10:34 pm
- 4
- Location: NH, USA
- Status:
Offline
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Thanks for the update, Dave.
Let's keep our fingers crossed for a good result!
smp
Let's keep our fingers crossed for a good result!
smp
Stephen
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- Ylem
- Universal Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 7548
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 2:54 am
- 4
- Location: Ocean County, New Jersey
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Photo of the Day
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Clear Skies,
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
- Unitron48
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2763
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:48 am
- 4
- Location: Culpeper, VA (USA)
- Status:
Online
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
That's good news! Hope that was the last of the problems!!
Dave
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
- Unitron48
- Local Group Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 2763
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:48 am
- 4
- Location: Culpeper, VA (USA)
- Status:
Online
-
TSS Awards Badges
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Latest on CAPSTONE: https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/10/ ... oon-orbit/.
- CAPSTONE is no longer in safe mode following an issue in early September that caused the spacecraft to spin
- Successfully completed a trajectory correction maneuver on Thursday, Oct. 27, teeing up the spacecraft’s arrival to lunar orbit on Nov. 13
Go CAPSTONE Go!!
Dave
- CAPSTONE is no longer in safe mode following an issue in early September that caused the spacecraft to spin
- Successfully completed a trajectory correction maneuver on Thursday, Oct. 27, teeing up the spacecraft’s arrival to lunar orbit on Nov. 13
Go CAPSTONE Go!!
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
- smp
- Inter-Galactic Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 3417
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 10:34 pm
- 4
- Location: NH, USA
- Status:
Offline
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Here’s hoping for the best!
smp
smp
Stephen
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- Ylem
- Universal Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 7548
- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 2:54 am
- 4
- Location: Ocean County, New Jersey
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Photo of the Day
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
Excellent
Clear Skies,
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
- SparWeb
- Jupiter Ambassador
- Articles: 0
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 3:16 am
- 4
- Location: Irricana, Alberta, Canada
- Status:
Offline
-
TSS Photo of the Day
Re: For the first time, a small rocket will launch a private spacecraft to the Moon
What a crazy orbit!
It was drawn with one of those spirograph toys I had when I was a kid.
It was drawn with one of those spirograph toys I had when I was a kid.
Steven Fahey
51.248N, 113.53W, 995m ASL
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IALBERTA147
Canon 6D (unmodified) + Lunt 4" (102mm) achromat refractor (7.1 focal ratio) + Celestron AVX mount
51.248N, 113.53W, 995m ASL
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IALBERTA147
Canon 6D (unmodified) + Lunt 4" (102mm) achromat refractor (7.1 focal ratio) + Celestron AVX mount
Create an account or sign in to join the discussion
You need to be a member in order to post a reply
Create an account
Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute