The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft launched on June 18, 2009. It operates in a low polar orbit around the Moon and is mapping the lunar surface in unprecedented detail, measuring topography, radiation, temperature, and resources. Its data help identify safe landing sites, locate water ice in shadowed regions, and support future human and robotic exploration.
Source: science.nasa.gov
02/06/2024
No one, presently, sees the Moon rotate like this. That's because the Earth's moon is tidally locked to the Earth, showing us only one side. Given modern digital technology, however, combined with many detailed images returned by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a high resolution virtual Moon rotation movie has been composed. The featured time-lapse video starts with the standard Earth view of the Moon. Quickly, though, Mare Orientale, a large crater with a dark center that is difficult to see from the Earth, rotates into view just below the equator. From an entire lunar month condensed into 24 seconds, the video clearly shows that the Earth side of the Moon contains an abundance of dark lunar maria, while the lunar far side is dominated by bright lunar highlands. Currently, over 32 new missions to the Moon are under active development from multiple countries and companies, including NASA's Artemis program which aims to land people on the Moon again within the next few years.