Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

The orbiter bears on itself a complex of six scientific instruments and one instrument for testing new technologies.

• CRaTER ( C osmic Ra y T elescope for the E ffects of R adiation) - the main purpose of this device is to assess the harmful effects of cosmic rays and solar radiation on biological objects ^[5] .
• DLRE (The D iviner L unar R adiometer E xperiment) - measurement of the thermal radiation of the lunar surface and its changes during the day, the information needed for future work on the surface of the moon ^[6] .
• LAMP (The L yman A lpha M apping P roject) is a device for searching ice in unlit craters. He observes the reflection of ultraviolet radiation from stars (lines of the Lyman series ) from the lunar surface ^[7] .
• LEND (The L unar E xploration Neutron D etector), LEND (“Lunar Research Neutron Detector”) is a Russian-made instrument for compiling detailed maps of the content of hydrogen atoms in the lunar surface ^{[8] [9]} .
• LOLA (The L unar O rbiter L aser A ltimeter) laser altimeter to create an accurate elevation map.
• LROC (The L unarc R oconbit O rbiter C amera) is the main optical camera for obtaining photographs of the surface of the moon with a resolution of up to half a meter, with the help of which they will search for suitable places for landing manned expeditions ^[10] . LROC consists of three cameras: a low-resolution camera (WAC) and two high-resolution cameras (NAC), the first of which is intended for obtaining general terrain plans, and the other two are for high-resolution photographs. It is planned to take photos of approximately 8% of the lunar surface, including:

1. circumpolar regions, which are now considered the most promising for the organization of the habitable base.
2. 50 “high interest areas” selected by scientists;
3. all places associated with human activities: landing sites for the Apollo manned spacecraft, American and Soviet automatic stations, although this is not the main purpose of the mission ^[11] , as well as craters formed during the fall of artificial satellites of the Moon and other vehicles;

• Mini-RF (The Miniature Radio Frequency) - testing a new lightweight radar with synthetic aperture ^{[12] [13] [14]} .

It was planned that the LRO would be launched into polar orbit for a period of one year. In the additional extended phase of the mission (another 5 years), it can serve as a repeater for future lunar descent vehicles and lunar rovers.

The device will produce the following studies: ^[15]

• Exploring the lunar global topography
• Measurement of radiation in the lunar orbit
• The study of the lunar polar regions, which includes the search for deposits of water ice and the study of the parameters of illumination
• Drawing up highly accurate maps with drawing objects of at least 0.5 meters in order to find the best landing sites.

In early July 2009, work began on debugging and calibrating on-board instruments.

On July 17, 2009, before the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon, photographs taken by Orbiter were published ^[16] . For the future, there are plans to shoot other memorable places of the Moon, such as the Lunokhod sites.

On September 6, 2011, NASA presented more detailed images of the locations of manned expeditions made by LRO, for which the probe was transferred to a lower orbit above the surface of the moon.

On August 16, 2012, NASA reported the presence of helium atoms in the atmosphere of the moon using a LAMP spectroscope. In addition, in the soil on the surface of the moon, researchers found argon atoms. ^[17]

In early September 2012, with the help of lightweight synthetic aperture radar (Mini-RF), deposits of water ice were discovered, the mass fraction of which is 5-10% of the substance composing the walls of the Shackleton crater. These figures overlap the previous conservative estimates of the amount of water in the lunar soil 5-10 times. The results make it even more optimistic to look at the future colonization of the Earth satellite and the construction of stationary residential bases there ^[18] .

• Photos taken with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
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  The first image from LROC, June 30, 2009.

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  Place of landing of Apollo 11 .

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  Apollo-12 and Surveyor-3 landing sites.

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  Place of landing of Apollo 14 .

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  Place of landing of Apollo 15 .

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  Apollo 16 landing site.

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  Place of landing of Apollo 17 .

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  Landing stage of the lunar module "Challenger" apparatus Apollo 17 .

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  Place of landing Surveyor-1 .

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  Crater Quiet in the rays of the rising sun.

• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
• United launch alliance
• Lunar Quest (space program)
• Lunar Precursor Robotic Program

• NASA presented more detailed images of the Apollo landing sites on the moon.
• "Quickmap" - an archive of images from the satellite Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
• NASA probe launched to the moon - www.lenta.ru
• NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Release date: 2008-02-10. Publication: lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov
• LRO's first photos
• First images of landing sites, traces of astronauts and Apollo modules on the moon , July 17, 2009.
• Photos LRO , March 17, 2010
• Interactive, multifunctional maps of the moon project LRO . University of Arizona