The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

What is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)?

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a spacecraft built by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (or NASA) to study the Moon. It will carry seven science instruments including: several cameras, an altimeter to measure topography, a detector to measure cosmic radiation, and several instruments to record the presence of water ice at the lunar poles. Scheduled for launch in early 2009, the LRO will orbit the Moon for at least one year.


Image Credit: NASA