(Updated) NASA re-establishes contact with CAPSTONE spacecraft

Following its deployment on July 4, NASA's Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) spacecraft experienced communication issues. However, the mission operators, led by Advanced Space, have now re-established contact with the spacecraft, the agency said on Wednesday.

MISSION UPDATE: Communications are back! Operators have successfully re-established contact with our #CAPSTONE spacecraft. Additional updates to come on the #Artemis blog: https://t.co/0MWN3zET6D pic.twitter.com/Ld5ubwDlng

— NASA Ames (@NASAAmes) July 6, 2022

The tiny spacecraft made initial contact with NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) ground station in Madrid, Spain, followed by partial contact with the Goldstone ground station in California. From these contacts, mission operators were able to determine its approximate position and velocity in space.

CAPSTONE's first trajectory correction manoeuvre, the first in a series to make small corrections to increase the accuracy of the transfer orbit to the Moon, was delayed due to communication issues. This manoeuvre was scheduled for the morning of July 5th.

"We have re-established communications with CAPSTONE. The spacecraft is looking happy and healthy," NASA's partner Advanced Space also tweeted on Wednesday. The latter will operate the critical manoeuvres required to enter the intended orbit.

We have re-established communications with CAPSTONE.The spacecraft is looking happy and healthy. More details to come. pic.twitter.com/0qm4mU881M

— Advanced Space (@AdvancedSpace) July 6, 2022

The CAPSTONE mission launched on Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from the Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand, Tuesday, June 28. The spacecraft is utilizing the ballistic lunar transfer (BLT) and it will take four months to reach the planned Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. NRHO is the orbit planned for NASA's Gateway, a lunar space station that is part of the agency's Artemis Program.

Update 1

The CAPSTONE mission teams are preparing to carry out the tiny spacecraft's first trajectory correction manoeuvre as early as 11:30 a.m. EDT on July 7, NASA said on Wednesday, adding that the team is still actively working to fully establish the root cause of the communication issue.