LRO will spend at least a year in a low polar orbit approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) above the lunar surface, while its seven instruments find safe landing sites, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment and test new technology.

Several instruments that will help NASA characterize the moon’s surface have been installed on LRO. The powerful equipment will bring the moon into sharper focus and reveal new insights about the celestial body nearest Earth. The LRO payload, comprised of seven instruments, will provide key data sets to enable a human return to the moon.

LRO is leading NASA’s way back to the moon. The primary objective of LRO is to conduct investigations that prepare for future lunar exploration. Specifically LRO will scout for safe and compelling landing sites, locate potential resources (with special attention to the possibility of water ice) and characterize the effects of prolonged exposure to the lunar radiation environment. In addition to its exploration mission, LRO will also return rich scientific data that will help us to better understand the moon’s topography and composition. Seven scientific instruments outfit LRO. These instruments will return lunar imagery, topography, temperature measurements and more. Launched along with LRO was the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), a partner mission that will search for water ice on the moon. In response to LRO’s “Send Your Name to the Moon” initiative, the spacecraft carries a microchip with nearly 1.6 million names submitted by the public. Click here to view a photo of the microchip containing the names as engineers prepare to install it on the spacecraft.

Stowed in the rocket (solar array and high-gain antenna folded up), LRO is 152 inches tall. LRO measures 103 inches from the instrument module to the stowed solar array and 108 inches from the stowed high-gain antenna to Mini-RF antenna
The spacecraft was built by engineers at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

The trip to the moon will take approximately four days. LRO will then enter an elliptical orbit, also called the commissioning orbit. From there, it will be moved into its final orbit — a circular polar orbit approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) above the moon’s surface.