First Launch of SpaceX Falcon Heavy Bill Jelen/Unsplash
space
Technology
/ USA
lunar mission
Rocket Lab plans to make its first moon launch later this year
By: Gabriela Ramos
On: 8/25/2021
Falcon Heavy Launch
SpaceX/Unsplash
Rocket Lab, an American company that manufactures aircraft and space systems, announced that it will make its first launch to the moon later this year, as part of the CAPSTONE mission (Experience in Navigation and Technological Operations of the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System), departing from New Zealand.
CAPSTONE will test the stability of the Moon's orbit, verifying propulsion needs in lunar orbit, in order to also assist NASA's Artemis program, which will benefit from CAPSTONE. Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab, says: "Our team is very proud to launch one of the first path-finding missions to support NASA's goal of providing a sustainable presence on the Moon."
The location of the mission, which had been planned to take place earlier this year at NASA's Wallops facility in Virginia, was eventually altered, but the company did not provide further details. Beck says: "flexible is not a word commonly used to describe lunar missions, but operating two complex launches gives us the freedom to select the location that best meets the mission's requirements and schedule."
Previously, Rocket Lab has faced two rocket failures and, in May of this year, it also suffered an incident that caused the company to stop launching until recently. Thus, Brad Cheetham, executive director of Advanced Space, said in a statement that "this mission really shows the benefits of collaboration between NASA and industry."
Gabriela Ramos
Gabriela is the latest addition to the editorial team of our website, having provided us with her solid background in editing, publishing and photography, and her interest and training in aviation history and historiography. His good taste and common sense and great cleverness and sagacity in the selection of themes and materials greatly enriched our vocabulary and narrative style. Gabriela brought unusual predicates and came to stay, helping to point the way of success of our portal.
   
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