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Robotic spacecraft posts 83
Another Close Encounter!

Another Close Encounter!

Hard to find, but centered here, you can see a fuzzy view of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) lunar orbiter, Danuri, as it flew just 8 kilometers below LRO. Image width about 3000 meters,  NAC M1464323568...

Published on 05 Apr 2024

Intuitive Machines IM-1 On The Moon!

Intuitive Machines IM-1 On The Moon!

The Intuitive Machines IM-1 Nova-C, known as Odysseus, touched down on the Moon Thursday, 22 February, at 23:23:53 UTC (17:23 CST). The arrow indicates the Nova-C lander; the image width is 973 meters, NAC M1463440322L...

Published on 26 Feb 2024

JAXA SLIM Landing

JAXA SLIM Landing

The SLIM lander on the lunar surface (13.3160°S, 25.2510°E, -912 m elevation). The image is 880 meters wide, and north is up, LROC NAC M1460739214L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 26 Jan 2024

IM-1 Landing Region

IM-1 Landing Region

IM-1 landing region, the map is 1870 meters wide; north and nearside are towards the top, 1.70 meters per pixel. NAC M1435274280LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 Jan 2024

On the Way to Shioli Crater

On the Way to Shioli Crater

The upcoming Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) lunar lander will touchdown in the vicinity of Shioli crater (center foreground, 210-meter diameter).  The bright interior and rays indicate a very young age for this crater...

Published on 07 Nov 2023

Chandrayaan-3 Landing Site

Chandrayaan-3 Landing Site

Chandrayaan-3 lander is in the center of the image, its dark shadow is visible against the bright halo surrounding the vehicle. The image is 1738 meters wide, M1447750764LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 05 Sep 2023

Impact Site of the HAKUTO-R Mission 1 Lunar Lander

Impact Site of the HAKUTO-R Mission 1 Lunar Lander

HAKUTO-R Mission 1 Lunar Lander impact site, as seen by LROC the day after the attempted landing. LROC NAC image M1437131607R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 23 May 2023

Mystery Rocket Body Found!

Mystery Rocket Body Found!

A rocket body impacted the Moon on 04 March 2022 near Hertzsprung crater, creating an apparent double crater, roughly 28 meters wide in the longest dimension. LROC NAC M1407760984R enlarged 3x [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 23 Jun 2022

Chang'e 5: After Blast Off

Chang'e 5: After Blast Off

Chang'e 5 descent stage seen just before sunset on 7 Februray 2021, M136736629LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 19 Feb 2021

First Look: Chang'e 5

First Look: Chang'e 5

Box indicates Chang'e 5 lander on the basaltic plains of Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms") on 02 December 2020 09:54 EST (14:53:55 UTC). The lander is the bright spot in the center of the outline. Image is 1210 meters wide; north...

Published on 04 Dec 2020

Keeps on Roving!

Keeps on Roving!

Arrows indicate Yutu-2 (left) and Chang'e 4 lander (right). Rover tracks are faintly visible between the lander and Yutu-2. LROC image acquired 18 October 2020, M1357657468LR, enlarged 2x [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 01 Dec 2020

Vikram Lander Found

Vikram Lander Found

Vikram impact point and associated debris field. Green dots indicate spacecraft debris (confirmed or likely). Blue dots are locating disturbed soil, likely where small bits of the spacecraft churned up the regolith. "S" indicates debris...

Published on 02 Dec 2019

Longjiang-2 Impact Site Found!

Longjiang-2 Impact Site Found!

The Longjiang-2 spacecraft (also known as DSLWP-B) crashed onto the lunar farside on 31 July 2019 after completing its orbital mission. This new crater was most likely the result of that impact. Image width 330 meters, north is up,...

Published on 14 Nov 2019

Obscured in the Lunar Highlands?

Obscured in the Lunar Highlands?

The Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, attempted a landing September 7th Indian time (Friday the 6th in the United States), on a small patch of lunar highland smooth plains between Simpelius N and Manzinus C craters. Unfortunately the...

Published on 26 Sep 2019

Yutu-2 Still on the Move!

Yutu-2 Still on the Move!

Yutu-2 (horizontal arrow) was about 130 meters west of the Chang'e 4 lander (vertical arrow) on 3 June 2019. North is up, image is 495 meters wide and enlarged two times, M1314237625L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 27 Jun 2019

Beresheet Crash Site Spotted!

Beresheet Crash Site Spotted!

SpaceIL Beresheet crash site as seen by LROC eleven days after the attempted landing. Date in lower left indicates when the NAC image was acquired, M1310536929R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 15 May 2019

Topographic Map of the Chang'e 4 Site

Topographic Map of the Chang'e 4 Site

Topographic map of the Chang'e 4 landing site derived from LROC NAC stereo pair (M1303619844LR, M1303640934LR obtained on 1 February 2019). North is up, map is 5500 meters wide [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 30 Apr 2019

Chang'e 4 Rover on the Move

Chang'e 4 Rover on the Move

The Chang'e 4 rover, Yutu-2, moved between 1 February 2019 and 28 February 2019. The upper left panel (M1298916428L) shows the landing site before Chang'e 4 set down and the image in upper right panel (M1303619844L) has the best...

Published on 20 Mar 2019

Above the Landing Site

Above the Landing Site

Looking down on the Chang'e 4 landing site; lander is just beyond tip of large arrow, rover at tip of small arrow. Image is 468 meters (1535 feet) across, 2x enlargement, LROC M1303619844LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 15 Feb 2019

Chang'e 4 Rover Comes into View

Chang'e 4 Rover Comes into View

The Chang'e 4 rover is now visible to LROC! Just beyond the tip of the right arrow is the rover and the lander is to the right of the tip of the left arrow. The image appears blocky because it is enlarged 4x to make it easier to see the...

Published on 08 Feb 2019