ABOUT LOW LUNAR ORBIT
Low Lunar Orbit is an orbit around the Moon at altitudes typically between 15 and 100 km. It is used by lunar mapping missions, reconnaissance orbiters, and as a staging point before landing. Lunar orbits are complicated by mascons (mass concentrations) that create gravitational perturbations requiring frequent corrections.
ORBITAL PARAMETERS
| Altitude (Min) | 15 km |
| Altitude (Max) | 100 km |
| Inclination | 0-90° |
| Orbital Period | 118 minutes |
| Orbital Velocity | 1.6 km/s |
| Delta-V Required | 0.8 km/s |
| Eccentricity | 0-0.01 |
| Category | Lunar |
EQUATION / FORMULA
v = sqrt(GM_moon/r)
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES
High-resolution lunar imaging, low energy for landing, close proximity for surface relay
DISADVANTAGES
Mascon perturbations cause orbital instability, no atmosphere for aerobraking, communication delays
HISTORY
| Discoverer / Pioneer | Luna 10 (Soviet Union, 1966) |
| First Use | April 3, 1966 |
ALTITUDE CONVERSIONS (MIN)
| Kilometers | 15 km |
| Miles | 9 mi |
| Nautical Miles | 8 nmi |
TYPICAL PAYLOADS (3)
SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS (3)
