The closest human-made orbit ever achieved around the moon
In short: Explore the mission of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a spacecraft designed to map the lunar surface and prepare the way for future human exploration.
The LRO was designed for a one-year mission in a polar orbit of approximately 31 miles (50 kilometers), marking the closest any spacecraft has ever orbited the moon. Its primary objective is to gather data to identify safe landing sites and conduct investigations for future lunar exploration.
The mission also included LCROSS, which sought water ice by intentionally crashing a spent Centaur rocket into a permanently shadowed polar crater. While some specific return-to-the-moon plans discussed during its debut never materialized, the innovations developed for the LRO significantly advanced lunar exploration technology.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: LRO Webcast
- Also: Real World: NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission - NASA Science
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