Rocket Lab Launches CAPSTONE lunar mission for NASA

Electron launches CAPSTONE | Credit: NASA/Rocket Lab

On Tuesday, June 28 at 5:55am EDT (9:55 UTC), Rocket Lab launched NASA's CAPSTONE mission to the Moon as part of the agency's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon in 2025. After separation from the 2nd stage, Lunar Photon will take CAPSTONE to lunar orbit over 5 months. CAPSTONE is a small satellite manufactured by Advanced Space that will test technologies for NASA's future Gateway lunar space station, testing things such as Gateway's unique halo orbit and solar propulsion. This was the 73rd orbital launch of 2022 and 27th Rocket Lab and Electron mission.