Aerospace Defense Talks

Daily Source of Aerospace Industry News

Space

NASA’s Lunas Reconnaissance Orbiter Completes Decade on Moon

ByEmelia Murison

Nov 10, 2019 #Moon, #NASA, #Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA's Lunas Reconnaissance Orbiter Completes Decade on Moon

Among the dozens of spacecraft that have landed on the moon, none can come close to the period of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which just lately completed a decade studying the sibling world.

The spacecraft, nicknamed LRO, started its work in lunar orbit in September 2009. Since then, the spacecraft has orbited the moon many times. Its job is repetitive, however, far from dull. On each circuit, the scientists watching its data from home can identify differences on the lunar surface as meteorites, and sometimes spacecraft, slam into the moon. The ability to see adjustments over time is what makes LRO’s longevity so useful to scientists.

LRO has outpaced every other lunar project by far. Its nearest competition comes from the twin ARTEMIS probes, which NASA constructed to study Earth’s magnetosphere then redirected mid-mission to lunar orbit. The two spacecraft have been at the moon from 2011 and are nonetheless operating.

The one different competition comes from NASA’s Explorer 35 project, which spent six years at the moon in the late sixties and concluded that the moon does not have a magnetosphere. Otherwise, lunar projects have tended to last about less than a year at most.

One of the riskiest times in the projects is during a lunar eclipse, when the spacecraft gets briefly stuck in darkness, with Earth obstructing the sun. Fortunately, LRO won’t expertise that situation again until May 2021, Petro mentioned, which shall be a comparatively short eclipse, after which again in May 2022.

Slipping occasionally into darkness remains to be more comfortable for a spacecraft than what robots face on the lunar floor. On the moon, both day and night last the equivalent of two weeks on Earth, and during that long darkness, temperatures fall. The bitter cold freezes whatever hardware does make it to the floor safely, reducing the life span of that machine.

By Emelia Murison

Emelia Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for innovation and technology. She covers breaking industry news, #SpaceForGood, and product reviews for the group. She also provides copywriting services to startups around the world – one of which introduced her to the world of Aerospace.

Related Post

Defense Drones & Helicopters Industry Updates News Press Release Space

Satellite Cables and Assemblies Market Competitive Landscape, Strategies And Forecasts by 2030

Nov 28, 2023 Emelia Murison
Defense Drones & Helicopters Industry Updates News Press Release Space

Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) Market Regional, and Global Industry Forecast by 2030

Nov 28, 2023 Emelia Murison
Defense Drones & Helicopters Industry Updates News Press Release Space

Howitzer Artillery System Market Outlook, Competitive Landscape, Strategies And Forecasts by 2030

Nov 28, 2023 Emelia Murison
1,017 thoughts on “NASA’s Lunas Reconnaissance Orbiter Completes Decade on Moon”

  248. I’m impressed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both equally
    educative and engaging, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
    The problem is an issue that not enough folks are speaking
    intelligently about. I’m very happy that I stumbled across this during my
    hunt for something concerning this.