Missions

On October 4th, 1957 history was made when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1. In response the United States created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA. The Space Race was on to launch more spacecraft and to land a man on the Moon.

Featured Mission: The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is the first step in NASA’s vision to return humans to the moon, and eventually Mars and beyond. Launched in June 2009 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, LRO is currently orbiting the moon approximately 30 miles above the lunar surface. The information it gathers is laying the foundation for all future missions to the moon.

Objectives of the mission include finding safe landing sites, taking temperature readings, monitoring radiation levels, analyzing craters and boulders on the lunar surface, mapping the far side of the moon and possibly locating resources such as frozen water that could be useful to future astronauts.

WHAT WAS FOUND AND WHAT IT MEANS

In a NASA press conference held Sept. 16th, 2010 the LRO team revealed the latest research results of the mission. Read NASA's official press release here. Researchers have compiled a detailed map of the moon's topography by studying impact craters on the lunar surface in unprecedented detail. Using information gathered by the orbiter, the team determined the moon was pummeled by two distinct populations of asteroids and comets in its youth. This information reveals more about Earth's history of impacts, which is hard to study because craters aren't well preserved due to plate tectonics, wind and water erosion. Studying craters on the moon provides a window into our solar system's history and evolution. The LRO team's work on mapping a detailed topography has revealed a more turbulent, chaotic history of the moon than researchers expected.

In addition to new information about lunar craters, LRO also collected information about the composition of the moon's surface. It found the soil is much more complex than originally thought, and contains many silicic minerals that are a result of heavy geologic processes. This means there were multiple processes involved in producing the rocks. According to NASA, the implications of this are yet unknown.

FUN FACTS

“The LRO camera (LROC) has a resolution about ten times better than any previous lunar orbiter missions,” according to NASA. That means for every pixel imaged by other spacecraft, LROC gathers 100 pixels in that same area, enough to distinguish details never before possible.”

It’s so powerful that it has spotted the Apollo landing sites and a Russian rover lost in 1971 on the surface.

LRO carries high tech cameras and many scientific instruments, but it is also carrying a microchip in response to the "Send Your Name to the Moon" initiative. This microchip contains nearly 1.6 million names submitted by the public that will orbit the moon along with the spacecraft.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

LRO will continue to orbit the moon and collect data about conditions on the lunar surface. Scientists will use this information to better plan a return trip to the moon, and eventually the wider solar system.

ADLER'S INVOLVEMENT

The Adler Planetarium is an Education and Public Outreach partner for LRO, and has created an exhibition to showcase the detailed images LRO has taken of the rocky surface of our closest neighbor in space. The Moon Wall exhibition is made up of a large high definition screen displaying images taken by the orbiter. The interactive technology experience allows museum visitors to fly over a virtual version of the moon in astonishing detail. Learn more about the work Adler is doing with LRO and NASA on the NASA Partnerships page.