We’ve created a Lunar Orbital Registry. This is a registry of known spacecraft in orbit around the Moon.
Why is this important to Lunar Resources Registry?
Simple. We have already registered all surface activity on the Moon, but now with a Lunar Orbital Registry we can see who is where and why, and which orbits are required to support specific surface missions.
How was the Lunar Orbital Registry developed?
Development, which is ongoing, has been in two phases.
- Information: Gathering spacecraft data from NORAD, UNOOSA and relative space agencies, plus Gunter’s Space Page.
- Simulation: Creating a simulation that illustrates the orbits of spacecraft in the LOR.
Is Lunar Orbital Registry Beta 100% Correct?
No. This is a Beta. The registry was developed to build a theoretical simulation based on publicly available data and the goal is to better understand how Lunar Missions, from Cislunar to on the surface, will operate including orbiters in various orbits and altitudes.
The biggest inaccuracies are the exact orbital metrics (Period, SemiMajorAxis, Eccentricity, Inclination), so we have had to assume some elements.
Will the Lunar Orbital Registry be Updated?
Short answer: Yes. We will add new missions and their orbits.
Long answer: Future updates include previous spacecraft that are no longer in orbit (some are Lost in Space) or on the surface but yet to be located and logged in our Lunar Registry of surface objects.
Lunar Orbital Registry v.1.0
Ouna
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Inactive
Name: Ouna
Mission Name: Ouna VRAD
Entity: JAXA
Operational Status: Inactive (since 2009)
Description: Ouna (Vstar) / VRAD (Radio) was one of two satellites deployed 12th October 2007 by Japan’s Kaguya (SELENE) mission in 2007. It is defunct in Orbit.
Lunar Orbit Date: 12 October 2007
Lunar Orbit Type: Polar Low Lunar Orbit
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration:
Chandrayaan-1
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Inactive
Name: Chandrayaan-1
Mission Name: Chandrayaan-1 Orbiter
Entity: ISRO
Operational Status: Inactive (Dormant)
Description: “Inactive, communication officially lost on August 29, 2009, after 312 days of operation.
Detected: On July 2016, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory used a ground-based radar technique to relocate CHANDRAYAAN 1.”
Lunar Orbit Date: 12 November 2008
Lunar Orbit Type: Polar Low Lunar Orbit
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration:
LRO
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Operational
Name: LRO
Mission Name: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
Entity: NASA
Operational Status: Active (since 2009)
Description: Active (Primary mapping and reconnaissance)
Lunar Orbit Date: 23 June 2009
Lunar Orbit Type: Low Polar Orbit
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration:
Queqiao-1
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Operational
Name: Queqiao-1
Mission Name: Queqiao-1 (L2 Relay)
Entity: CNSA
Operational Status: Active (Relay)
Description: This is in a Halo Orbit around the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrangian Point, approximately 65,000 to 80,000 kilometers beyond the Moon. It remains the primary communication relay for the Chang’e 4 lander and Yutu-2 rover, which are still operating on the lunar far side in 2026.
Lunar Orbit Date: 14 June 2018
Lunar Orbit Type: Earth-Moon L2 Lagrangian Point.
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration
Chandrayaan-2
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Operational
Name: Chandrayaan-2
Mission Name: Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter
Entity: ISRO
Operational Status: Active (since 2019)
Description: Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, was to service the Vikram lander (failed in 2019), and it remains fully operational providing high-resolution mapping data.
Lunar Orbit Date: 20 August 2019
Lunar Orbit Type: Circular Polar Science Orbit
Orbital Illustration;
Spacecraft Illustration:
CAPSTONE
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Operational
Name: CAPSTONE
Mission Name: CAPSTONE Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit
Entity: NASA / Advanced Space
Operational Status: Active (Extended 2025+)
Description: CAPSTONE is the pathfinder for the Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) that the Gateway will use.
Lunar Orbit Date: 14 November 2022
Lunar Orbit Type: Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration:
Danuri KPLO
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Operational
Name: Danuri KPLO
Mission Name: Danuri – Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter
Entity: KARI / KASA
Operational Status: Active (Extended 2025+)
Description: KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) / KASA
Lunar Orbit Date: 16 December 2022
Lunar Orbit Type: Low Polar Orbit
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration:
Queqiao-2
Type: Current
Sub-Type: Operational
Name: Queqiao-2
Mission Name: Queqiao-2 (Magpie Bridge 2)
Entity: CNSA
Operational Status: Active (Relay)
Description: Queqiao-2, which serves as the primary communications hub for China’s ongoing and upcoming 2026 exploration.
Lunar Orbit Date: 24 March 2024
Lunar Orbit Type: Highly Elliptical Frozen Orbit
Orbital Illustration:
Spacecraft Illustration: