Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

active Mission
An illustration of a spacecraft above the Moon with Earth in the background.

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) was the first U.S. mission to the Moon in over 10 years. LRO created a 3D map of the Moon, as part of a program to identify future landing sites and resources – including deposits of water ice shadowed in polar craters. LRO continues to orbit the Moon.

Type

Orbiter

Launch

June 18, 2009

Target

Earth's Moon

Objective

Exploration and Science
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