Advanced Space Picks LLNL for 3-Telescope CAPSTONE 02 Payload Ahead of 2-Spacecraft Lunar Mission
Updated
Updated · llnl.gov · Jul 28
Advanced Space Picks LLNL for 3-Telescope CAPSTONE 02 Payload Ahead of 2-Spacecraft Lunar Mission
1 articles · Updated · llnl.gov · Jul 28
Summary
LLNL will supply a tri-optical imaging payload for Advanced Space’s NASA-funded CAPSTONE 02 mission, adding wide- and narrow-field telescopes for lunar navigation and high-resolution imaging.
Three telescopes — LLNL’s V1 and V7 optics plus a Topaz wide-field lens — will track a target spacecraft from tens of kilometers to hundreds of meters to support rendezvous and proximity operations.
A second commercial Topaz lens procured by Advanced Space will work with LLNL’s electronics module for near-simultaneous wide-field imaging, a new integration capability for the lab.
Two identical spacecraft will launch together to the moon’s near rectilinear halo orbit, where CAPSTONE 02 will also measure thermal, radiation and space-weather conditions for future long-duration cislunar missions.
The mission is positioned as a steppingstone for later crewed lunar operations, with LLNL saying the data and imaging technologies could help inform Artemis-era exploration.
How will LLNL's revolutionary tri-optical cameras navigate the perilous, radiation-soaked environment of cislunar space to ensure astronauts survive Artemis IV?
What hidden radiation dangers could the CAPSTONE 02 twin spacecraft uncover in the Moon's orbit before future human missions launch?
Could unexpected extreme thermal shifts in deep space blind the autonomous navigation systems meant to guide our next lunar explorers?