The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission is scheduled to launch in the Spring of 2009 as part of NASA's Lunar Precursor Robotic Program (LPRP) and is the first spacecraft to be built as part of NASA's return to the Moon. The orbiter will be equipped with seven instruments including the
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC),
Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA),
Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND),
Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DLRE),
Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP),
Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER),
and
Mini-RF.
The orbiter will have a one year primary mission in a 50km polar orbit. The measurements from LRO will uncover much-needed information about potential landing sites and much more.
