WELLINGTON, United Statess —
NASA blasted a nanosatellite barely bigger than
a microwave oven into outer space Tuesday, part of a landmark mission to return
humans to the Moon.
اضافة اعلان
A rocket carrying
the tiny CAPSTONE module successfully launched from New Zealand’s eastern Mahia
Peninsula to a deafening blast and a wash of fiery propulsion.
“We have liftoff!”
NASA said in a statement shortly after the 9:55am GMT launch, described by
Bradley Smith, NASA’s director of launch services, as “absolutely fantastic.”
“This incredible
team has just sent CAPSTONE on a ballistic trajectory to the lunar orbit,” he
said.
All being well, in
four months CAPSTONE will be in a position to begin innovative surfboard-shaped
“near rectilinear halo orbits” around the Moon.
Weighing about as
much as a suitcase, the satellite is trial-running an orbit for NASA’s
“Gateway” space station — which will travel around the Moon and serve as a
jumping off point for lunar exploration.
The orbit passes
within 1,600km of the Moon at its closest point, before catapulting to 70,000km
away at the furthest.
Scientists hope
the orbit will be super-efficient, using the pull of both the Moon and the
Earth to minimize fuel use.
As part of the
same project, the
US eventually plans to put the first woman and first person
of color on the Moon.
NASA also plans to
build a moon base, and use the experience as a stepping stone to a crewed
flight to Mars.
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