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New Images of Moon Landing Sites

NASA has just released new images taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) of the original Apollo Moon landing sites. Some even show the astronauts tracks when carrying out their surface experiments.

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The Lunar Landers highlighted with a shadow from the low Sun.

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Apollo 14. You can just about make out the astronauts tracks in the dust.

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Apollo 14. Enlarged view.

The satellite reached lunar orbit June 23 and captured the Apollo sites between July 11 and 15. Though it had been expected that LRO would be able to resolve the remnants of the Apollo mission, these first images came before the spacecraft reached its final mapping orbit. Future LROC images from these sites will have two to three times greater resolution.

Although these pictures provide a reminder of past NASA exploration, LRO’s primary focus is on paving the way for the future. By returning detailed lunar data, the mission will help NASA identify safe landing sites for future explorers, locate potential resources, describe the moon’s radiation environment and demonstrate new technologies.

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Apollo missions landing sites.

Further info at nasa.gov

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Comments (9)

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  1. beno . July 18, 2009 7:15 am

    Awesome news!
    apparently the footprints will be there long after the pyramids have eroded

  2. Rob Chant . July 18, 2009 2:11 pm

    Great stuff. I just saw the film ‘Moon’ last night, which was equally awesome… ;)

  3. Microscopics . July 18, 2009 7:09 pm

    @beno – yes, and still hard to get your head around. Lets hope the next images will show more detailed lunar scuff marks.

  4. Microscopics . July 18, 2009 7:12 pm

    Hi Rob – Sounds good, I may have see it myself. Gerty.

  5. Rob Chant . July 18, 2009 7:16 pm

    Aye, it’s definitely worth watching.

  6. Rags ‘n Ram » Blog Archive » Apollo Moon Landing Revisited: 40 Years After . July 18, 2009 9:16 pm

    [...] Source: BBC Images: Microscopics blog [...]

  7. Pete . November 17, 2009 2:26 am

    Clearly ’shopped….

  8. kupu . April 5, 2010 12:36 pm

    okay, why are the shadows the wrong way round?

    this a joke?

  9. blue . August 5, 2010 1:04 am

    All I want to see are clear photos that show we landed on the moon. Over the years im awarewe have made massive advances in photographic technology so why are all the photos from so far away showing nothing clearly. Last point and a daft question “when the return section of the space craft leaving the moonblasts off how does the camera manage to follow it or did we leave someone there to ensure we had quality pictures so no one would ever question if we went or not.

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