Featured Images

ispace Mission 2 SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon Impact Site

The RESILIENCE impact created a dark smudge surrounded by a subtle bright halo. North is up, image width 1040 meters, M1504323448R [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University]. The RESILIENCE impact created a dark smudge surrounded by a...

Published on 20 Jun 2025

Blue Ghost Site: Looking Back Towards The Sun

Large phase angle NAC image of the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lunar lander. Image is 1300 meters wide, north is up, NAC M1495633125LR (NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University).

Published on 21 Mar 2025

Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Seen From Above

The Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down in the volcanic terrain known as Mare Crisium. Visible in the upper left is a portion of a volcanic depression and to the bottom right is a volcanic cone, known as Mons...

Published on 07 Mar 2025

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

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 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

Apollo 17 Remains Unchallenged After Fifty Years

Fifty years ago, the Apollo 17 crew concluded a series of human exploration missions that remain, like their footsteps, some of the greatest achievements in human history. Apollo 17 handheld image (AS17-134-20382) of astronaut Harrison...

Published on 10 Dec 2022

Apollo 16 50th Anniversary: A New Landscape

A spectacular, labeled view of the Apollo 16 landing site between North Ray and South Ray craters in the Descartes Highlands, a new landscape for the crew and an exciting set of LROC team products to help celebrate the 50th anniversary...

Published on 20 Apr 2022

Apollo 15: A Mission of Many Firsts

Highlights of the Apollo 15 landing site, as seen in LROC NAC image M175252641R. This image has a resolution of 27 cm/px, and shows an area of 262 m by 186 m. The Lunar Module is clearly visible, as are many tracks from the Lunar Roving...

Published on 30 Jul 2021

The Moon in Arizona

This 3.48-kilometer-wide part of the Sea of Tranquility is very special, though no one has ever landed or walked here. NAC image M1123426954LR [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 02 Jul 2019

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

Lobate Scarps: The Movie

Lobate scarps - like those shown here on the floor of the farside crater d'Alembert - are not large, but they tell us much about how hot the Moon was when it was born and its ongoing thermal evolution. Image width is about four...

Published on 31 Oct 2018

John Young at South Ray Crater

Overhead view of South Ray crater, the most prominent feature at the Apollo 16 Descartes landing site in the central lunar highlands. Astronaut John Young landed Lunar Module Orion north of the crater on  21 April 1972 (UTC)....

Published on 05 Jul 2018

What a Blast! – Revisiting the Chang'e 3 Landing Site

View of the Chang'e-3 landing site from the LROC NAC. The region around the lander was brightened from the interaction of rocket exhaust with the regolith. Scene is approximately 240 m across, located at 44.121°N, 340.488°E. NAC image...

Published on 13 May 2016

Soaring Over Mighty Mt. Hadley

An oblique view, looking east-to-west over the Apennine Mountains towards Hadley Rille (upper left) (LROC NAC M1123519889, north is to the right). A long shadow is cast by mighty Mt. Hadley (center right). Nestled between the Apennines...

Published on 18 Jun 2014

Trundling Across the Moon

Tracks made by Lunokhod 2 as it tested for variations in local magnetic properties while traversing around a small crater (25.764°N, 30.474°E), M122007650R, image width 470 m [NASA/ GSFC/ Arizona State University].

Published on 23 May 2014

A Great Place to Rove!

Sinus Iridum area of the Moon - it is likely that China will land a rover near Laplace A crater before the end of the year! Arrow shows location of Soviet Lunokhod 1 rover, LROC WAC mosaic is 360 km wide [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State...

Published on 22 Nov 2013

Making an Impact on History

LROC NAC image (M153014430L) of the Ranger 7 impact crater (bright crater near top center) in Mare Cognitum located at 339.323°E, 10.634°S. The crater is 14 meters in diameter; image width is 400 m. [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 07 Nov 2013

LROC Coordinates of Robotic Spacecraft - 2013 Update

Luna 17, the spacecraft that carried the Lunokhod 1 rover to the surface. You can make out the rover tracks around the lander. LROC NAC image M175502049RE [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Published on 24 Sep 2013

Taurus Littrow Valley, West-To-East

The magnificent Taurus Littrow valley seen obliquely from west-to-east by the LROC NAC. The Apollo 17 crew briefly explored portions of this valley 40 years ago this month. M1096343661LR, image ~10 km across the center...

Published on 19 Dec 2012