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NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Captures Incredible Images
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) recently captured a remarkable photo as it crossed paths with another spacecraft orbiting the moon. The LRO, which has been in lunar orbit for an impressive 15 years, took multiple images of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s Danuri lunar orbiter as the two spacecraft passed each other during three orbits between March 5 and March 6.
A Spectacular Encounter in Space
The Danuri orbiter, South Korea’s inaugural moon-explorer, has been exploring lunar orbit since December 2022. During the photo session, the LRO was situated 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the moon’s surface, while Danuri circled below. Both spacecraft were traveling at speeds of approximately 7,200 miles per hour (11,500 kilometers per hour), which presented a significant challenge for the LRO’s narrow angle camera to capture clear images of Danuri. The camera’s exposure time was an incredibly brief 0.338 milliseconds, resulting in Danuri appearing stretched and smeared in the images.
Precision Timing and Technical Skill
The LRO’s operations team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, demonstrated exceptional precision in coordinating the LRO’s movements to coincide with Danuri’s path. Despite the high relative velocities of the two spacecraft, the LRO managed to capture three remarkable images of Danuri during close flybys. Each snapshot provided a unique perspective of Danuri’s presence in the lunar orbit, demonstrating the technical expertise required to achieve such a remarkable feat.
Continued Collaboration in Space Exploration
This is not the first encounter between the LRO and Danuri. In a previous exchange, Danuri utilized its ShadowCam instrument, provided by NASA, to photograph the LRO from a distance of approximately 11 miles (18 km) on April 7, 2023. Such collaborations highlight the ongoing partnership between space agencies and their shared commitment to advancing our understanding of the lunar environment.
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