Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Stories

Illustration of permanently shadowed regions near the lunar south pole.

NASA’s LRO: Lunar Ice Deposits are Widespread

5 min read

Deposits of ice in lunar dust and rock (regolith) are more extensive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of data from NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission. Ice would be a valuable resource for future lunar expeditions. Water…

Article2 months ago

Conceptual image of how the Moon casts a shadow on Earth during a total eclipse.

NASA Develops Process to Create Very Accurate Eclipse Maps

3 min read

New NASA research reveals a process to generate extremely accurate eclipse maps, which plot the predicted path of the Moon’s shadow as it crosses the face of Earth. Traditionally, eclipse calculations assume that all observers are at sea level on…

Article3 months ago

In the foreground is a textured expanse of grey, with the center bleached out by light. The background is black. A yellow box sits slightly right of center, tipped slightly to the left.

NASA, JAXA Bounce Laser Beam Between Moon’s Surface and Lunar Orbit

4 min read

NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) has twice transmitted a laser pulse to a cookie-sized retroreflector aboard JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) SLIM lander on the Moon and received a return signal. As LRO passed 44 miles above SLIM (Smart Lander…

Article5 months ago