Not a lot of people paid attention on Nov. 13, 2022, when the microwave-oven-size Capstone spacecraft began orbiting the moon. But they should have: astronauts will follow Capstone’s lead. Built by Terran Orbital, Capstone in May completed one of its primary missions: operating for six months in a novel, highly elliptical orbit that NASA’s Gateway lunar space station will fly when it is launched at the end of 2024. A pioneer in the field of small satellites, Terran has established a robotic assembly facility that dramatically slashes production timelines. “By the end of next year,” says Marc Bell, co-founder and CEO, “you can order a satellite on the first of the month and we can deliver it to you on the 30th.” And the company hopes to prevent orbital litter: its earth-orbiting satellites are designed to re-enter the atmosphere and vaporize at the end of their useful lives.
A weekly newsletter featuring conversations with the world’s top CEOs, managers, and founders. Join the Leadership Brief.
- Introducing the 2024 TIME100 Next
- The Reinvention of J.D. Vance
- How to Survive Election Season Without Losing Your Mind
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Scams
- Did the Pandemic Break Our Brains?
- The Many Lives of Jack Antonoff
- 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
- Why Gut Health Issues Are More Common in Women
