After the 28-June launch of the spacecraft atop a Rocket Lab Electron rocket, everything was going smoothly for NASA’s Capstone mission to lunar orbit. 

Monday saw the successful deployment of the probe from a PH๏τon upper stage and its launch in the direction of the moon.

Then, however, it ceased communicating with Earth. Engineers from NASA are attempting to restore communication with Capstone’s computers.

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) spacecraft had communications challenges while in touch with the Deep Space Network, according to a statement released by NASA on Tuesday.

Capstone is expected to utilize its own propulsion system to journey to the moon, where it will try to enter a novel form of halo-shaped orbit around the moon now that it is independent. NASA’s forthcoming lunar gateway will serve as an orbiting station for Artemis astronauts visiting the moon’s surface later this decade.

NASA said that Capstone has sufficient fuel to postpone its first navigation maneuvers for many days while mission controllers attempt to reestablish communication with the spacecraft.

Reference(s): NASA