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Low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit below 100 km (62 mi) altitude. These have a period of about 2 hours. [ 2 ] They are of particular interest in the exploration of the Moon , but suffer from gravitational perturbations that make most unstable, and leave only a few orbital trajectories possible for indefinite frozen orbits .
The lunar orbit's major axis – the longest diameter of the orbit, joining its nearest and farthest points, the perigee and apogee, respectively – makes one complete revolution every 8.85 Earth years, or 3,232.6054 days, as it rotates slowly in the same direction as the Moon itself (direct motion) – meaning precesses eastward by 360°.
Transfer orbit, an orbit used during an orbital maneuver from one orbit to another. Lunar transfer orbit (LTO) [clarification needed] accomplished with trans-lunar injection (TLI) Mars transfer orbit (MTO) also known as trans-Mars injection (TMI) orbit; Repeat orbit: An orbit where the ground track of the satellite repeats after a period of time.
The Moon's orbit is slightly elliptical, with an orbital eccentricity of 0.055. [1] The semi-major axis of the geocentric lunar orbit, called the lunar distance, is approximately 400,000 km (250,000 miles or 1.28 light-seconds), comparable to going around Earth 9.5 times. [177]
A lunar day lasts just over 29 days, ... The same side always faces Earth because the moon takes the same amount of time to complete an orbit of Earth and rotate around its axis: ...
A lunar node is either of the two orbital nodes of the Moon, that is, the two points at which the orbit of the Moon intersects the ecliptic. The ascending (or north) node is where the Moon moves into the northern ecliptic hemisphere, while the descending (or south) node is where the Moon enters the southern ecliptic hemisphere.
After it reaches lunar orbit, the uncrewed craft will land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium – a 300-mile-wide basin in the northeast quadrant of the moon's near ...
Lunar dust, also known as regolith, is a pervasive challenge on the Moon. The fine particles can be abrasive, cling to surfaces, and pose risks to equipment and human health.