Japanese steampunk in space - JAXA corrected satellite's orbit using steam engines

Japanese specialists were able to use water vapor to move the EQUilibriUm Lunar-Earth spacecraft into orbit

point 6U Spacecraft (EQUULEUS), which was launched as part of the Artemis lunar program.

What is known

Japanese space agency Japan AerospaceThe Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully corrected the cubesat's orbit. Using steam engines, the satellite was able to enter the desired orbit of the second Lagrange point in the Earth-Moon system.

EQUULEUS is equipped with a propulsion system, which includes eight steam boosters. They account for almost half of the total mass of the spacecraft.

It is expected that in the middle of 2024 the satellitereaches the second Lagrange point, which is considered the optimal place for the construction of a space port. From here, ships will be able to transfer to different orbits, including interplanetary ones, with little orbital control.

EQUULEUS is equipped with a camera, dust sensor andtelescope. The tasks of the satellite also include observation of asteroids and comets; fixing the fall of cosmic bodies on the surface of the moon; measurement of plasma concentration in the Earth-Moon system.