Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA robotic lunar orbiter; produced the detailed far-side maps the Artemis II crew navigated by.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026
How did a 2009 robot make the Artemis II crew’s far-side views possible?
Latest on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
- What is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter doing now?
- LRO is in an extended mission in lunar orbit, continuing to map the surface and support Artemis programme site selection after 16+ years of operations.Source: NASA
- How did NASA map the lunar far side before Artemis II?
- NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been mapping the entire lunar surface since 2009 at resolutions as fine as 0.5 metres per pixel, giving the Artemis II crew their navigational reference.Source: NASA LRO mission
- Is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter still working?
- Yes. LRO has been in continuous lunar orbit since June 2009 and remains operational in an extended science mission supporting the Artemis programme.Source: NASA
Background
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) provided the detailed mapping data that gave the Artemis II crew their first direct visual of the lunar far side on Day 5. The spacecraft has been in continuous lunar orbit since June 2009, imaging the surface at resolutions as fine as 0.5 metres per pixel and producing the most comprehensive maps of the Moon ever made.
LRO’s primary mission was to identify SAFE landing sites and resources for future crewed missions. It carries seven instruments including the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), which built a precise 3D terrain model of the entire lunar surface, and the LROC imaging cameras. The spacecraft has also validated the navigation models used on Artemis II’s trajectory correction burns.
Now in an extended mission, LRO continues to serve as the foundational reference for the Artemis programme’s site selection for the Lunar South Pole landings planned for Artemis III.