All articles tagged with #lro
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified a new 225-meter crater on the Moon, formed in 2024 in a rare event (about once every 139 years), with ejecta spreading hundreds of meters and debris detectable up to 120 kilometers away, signaling ongoing surface hazards for future lunar missions.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a high-resolution dawn image of an unnamed Moon crater, revealing dramatic shadows and textures that advance our understanding of lunar geology and aid future missions, landing-site selection, and resource assessment under the Artemis program.
Researchers using imagery from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified a fresh 22‑meter crater on the Moon by comparing images from 2009 and 2012, revealing bright ejecta rays that contrast with the dark surface. The rays will gradually darken due to space weathering, showing that the Moon's surface is still being sculpted today. The finding helps refine current impact rates and aids in calibrating age estimates for lunar terrains.
NASA scientists are developing methods to estimate moonquake frequency and magnitude by analyzing surface features and faults on the Moon, using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Apollo samples, to better understand seismic risks for upcoming lunar missions, especially in the south polar region.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the crash site of ispace's RESILIENCE lunar lander in Mare Frigoris, confirming its hard landing and providing insights into impact mechanics on the Moon, marking a setback for Japan's private lunar ambitions but contributing valuable data for future missions.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has provided evidence of extensive caves beneath the Moon's surface, similar to Earth's lava tubes. These findings, based on radar data from the Mini-RF instrument, suggest that these caves could serve as natural shelters for future astronaut missions. The discovery highlights the potential for these subsurface formations to support human activity on the Moon, offering protection from solar radiation and contributing to lunar research.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured an image of the April 8 solar eclipse from 223,000 miles away using its Narrow Angle Cameras, which require the spacecraft to rapidly rotate to build up the image. Launched in 2009, LRO has provided valuable data about the Moon and is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA aims to return to the Moon with commercial and international partners to expand human presence in space.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images of Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri lunar orbiter as the two spacecraft zipped past each other in opposite directions between March 5 and 6, 2024. The LRO's narrow angle camera managed to grab snapshots during three close orbits, despite the fast relative velocities between the two spacecraft. LRO, which has been studying the Moon for 15 years, has collected valuable data and is part of NASA's efforts to expand human presence in space and bring back new knowledge and opportunities.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) successfully transmitted and reflected a laser beam to an Oreo-sized device on ISRO's Vikram lander on the moon's surface, marking the first time this has been achieved. The experiment opens up new possibilities for precisely locating targets on the moon's surface. The laser instrument, called a Laser Retroreflector Array, has potential applications in guiding spacecraft, marking locations, and aiding in autonomous docking. However, further refinement is needed to fully utilize the retroreflectors, and future missions are planned to carry these devices to the moon.