Tag

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

All articles tagged with #lunar reconnaissance orbiter

space5 days ago•135 min saved

NASA photos show 60-foot crater on the Moon from SpaceX's upper stage

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images showing a 60-foot-wide crater near Einstein crater on the Moon, created when the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 impacted the lunar surface on Aug. 5, 2025. The discarded upper stage hit at about 5,400 mph (8,700 km/h) after a Jan. 15, 2025 mission to deliver lunar landers. First spotted by independent astronomer Bill Gray, NASA refined the impact location with LRO observations taken Aug. 11–12, revealing dust and rock ejecta streaks around the crater. The event was difficult to observe from Earth due to lighting and the Moon’s geometry, and the crater is relatively small compared with typical meteoroid impacts.

via Live Science|

#falcon-9 #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter #moon

space3 months ago•16 min saved

Decades after a silent Moon rover, a laser reflector finally answers Earth

A Soviet Lunokhod 1 rover carried a passive laser retroreflector that went silent in 1971; nearly forty years later NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter pinpointed Lunokhod 1’s location, enabling the APOLLO laser-ranging program to re-measure the Earth–Moon distance. The 2010 return was far stronger than typical retroreflector signals (about 2,000 photons, four to five times Lunokhod 2), due to favorable orientation and less degradation. Since then Lunokhod 1 has become a valuable, ongoing part of lunar ranging, supporting tests of general relativity and precise Earth–Moon distance measurements.

via Space Daily|

#apollo #lunar-laser-ranging #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

science11 months ago•1 min saved

Assist in Charting the Moon's Lava Flows

NASA is inviting the public to help map impact melt flow deposits on the Moon using images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, to better understand lunar geology and impact history.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#citizen-science #impact-melt-flows #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

science1 year ago•1 min saved

NASA's Moon Orbiter Captures Japanese Lander Crash Site

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the crash site of Japan's ispace Resilience lunar lander in Mare Frigoris, showing a dark mark and halo caused by lunar dust, after its failed descent earlier this month. ispace plans to investigate the failure and continues to pursue future lunar missions.

via KIRO 7 News Seattle|

#ispace #lander-crash #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

space1 year ago•1 min saved

NASA's Moon Orbiter Captures Crash Site of Japanese Lunar Lander

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the crash site of a Japanese company's lunar lander, Resilience, which collided with the Moon in Mare Frigoris, marking its second failure in two years. The company plans to hold a news conference to discuss the mission failure.

via Newser|

#ispace #lander-crash #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

space-exploration2 years ago•2 min saved

NASA Discovers Moon Cave Ideal for Future Human Base

An international research team, led by the University of Trento, has discovered an empty lava tube on the Moon using reanalyzed data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This finding, published in Nature Astronomy, provides the first direct evidence of lunar caves, which could serve as potential habitats for future lunar missions, offering protection from extreme temperatures, radiation, and meteorite impacts.

via SciTechDaily|

#lava-tubes #lunar-exploration #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

astronomy2 years ago•1 min saved

"Space Observations: 2024 Solar Eclipse Shadow Captured in Stunning 4K Video"

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.

via NASA|

#astronomy #celestial-event #lro

space2 years ago•1 min saved

"Mysterious Surfboard-Shaped Object Spotted Orbiting Moon by NASA"

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of a surfboard-shaped object orbiting the moon, sparking comparisons to the fictional character Silver Surfer. However, the object is actually South Korea's Danuri Lunar Orbiter, not a UFO or Marvel creation. The images show the distorted object due to the high relative velocity between it and the LRO. The Danuri has been in lunar orbit since December 2022, while the LRO has been studying the moon for 15 years.

via Supercar Blondie|

#danuri-lunar-orbiter #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter #moon

space2 years ago•2 min saved

"Mysterious Object Spotted Orbiting the Moon by NASA's LRO"

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri lunar orbiter as the two spacecraft crossed paths in opposite directions during three orbits between March 5 and 6, 2024. The perfectly timed photos show Danuri, the Republic of Korea's first moon-explorer, orbiting below the LRO, with relative velocities of about 7,200 miles per hour. The LRO's narrow angle camera exposure time caused Danuri to appear smeared and stretched in the images. This encounter isn't the first for the two spacecraft, as Danuri previously photographed LRO from a distance in April 2023.

via Space.com|

#danuri-lunar-orbiter #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter #moon

space-exploration2 years ago•3 min saved

"Mysterious Surfboard-Shaped Object Spotted Speeding Around the Moon by NASA"

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) recently captured images of South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter speeding past the moon at a combined velocity of 11,500 km/h. The images were taken during three orbits, with the LRO positioned at varying distances and angles to capture the swiftly moving Danuri. This isn't the first time the two orbiters have imaged each other, showcasing the ongoing success of the LRO's mission to map the lunar surface in detail.

via ScienceAlert|

#danuri #lunar-orbiter #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

astronomy2 years ago•2 min saved

"Space Station Crew's Spectacular View of Total Solar Eclipse and Moon's Shadow"

The crew of the International Space Station captured images and video of the moon's shadow on Earth during the recent solar eclipse while orbiting above southeastern Canada. The space station experienced about 90% totality during its flyover, and the stunning images were captured through the outpost's cupola windows. Additionally, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently captured images of Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri lunar orbiter during a flyby in March, showcasing the two spacecraft zipping past each other in opposite directions.

via CBS News|

#astronomy #international-space-station #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter

spacescience2 years ago•2 min saved

"Mysterious Surfboard-Shaped Object Spotted Speeding Around Moon by NASA's LRO"

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the Korean Danuri lunar orbiter flying over the moon's surface at a speed of 3.2 kilometers per second, resulting in smeared images due to the high velocity. The images, taken from distances ranging from 5 miles below to 2½ miles above the LRO's orbit, show the Korean spacecraft as a smeared blur. This event has sparked interest in cosmological flight and has led to new committees and groups seeking to uncover more about flying objects captured on camera.

via Newsweek|

#danuri-orbiter #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter #moon

space-exploration2 years ago•1 min saved

"Mysterious Surfboard-shaped Object Spotted Orbiting the Moon by NASA"

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of a mysterious, surfboard-shaped object near the moon's surface, resembling the board of Marvel's Silver Surfer character, but it turned out to be South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter. The distorted images were a result of the extremely fast relative velocities between the two spacecraft as they zipped past each other, with the LRO's camera's short exposure time. This marked the first time South Korea's spacecraft was captured near the moon, showcasing the "exquisite timing" required for the feat.

via New York Post |

#danuri #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter #moon

space2 years ago•3 min saved

"NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Captures Speeding Object Around the Moon"

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) as the two spacecraft passed each other in orbit around the Moon. The images show the elongated appearance of the KPLO due to their opposite directional paths and high travel velocities. The KPLO, launched by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, is conducting experiments to study the lunar environment and demonstrate a "lunar internet." This encounter is not the first time the two spacecraft have captured images of each other, and there are at least ten other objects currently known to be orbiting the Moon.

via The Debrief|

#kplo #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter #moon

space-exploration2 years ago•2 min saved

"Resurrected: Japan's Moon Lander Captures Stunning New Lunar Images"

Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has come back to life on the Moon after a slight mishap during landing left it on its side, preventing its solar panels from powering up. The lander has resumed its scientific mission, exceeding expectations by achieving a precision landing within 55 meters of its target. SLIM has deployed rovers, named rocks after dog breeds, and started analyzing the surface using spectroscopy. Additionally, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has photographed SLIM from orbit, capturing the effects of its rocket on the lunar surface. SLIM will now work to conduct its science mission before the lunar night sets in.

via IFLScience|

#japan #jaxa #lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter