On June 11, NASA\u2019s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) captured photos of the site where the ispace Mission 2 SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon (RESILIENCE) lunar lander experienced a hard landing on June 5, 2025, UTC.<\/p>\n
RESILIENCE was launched on Jan. 15 on a privately funded spacecraft.<\/p>\n
LRO\u2019s right Narrow Angle Camera (one in a suite of cameras known as LROC<\/a>) captured the images featured here from about 50 miles above the surface of Mare Frigoris, a volcanic region interspersed with large-scale faults known as wrinkle ridges.<\/p>\n The dark smudge visible above the arrow in the photo formed as the vehicle impacted the surface, kicking up regolith \u2014 the rock and dust that make up Moon \u201csoil.\u201d The faint bright halo encircling the site resulted from low-angle regolith particles scouring the delicate surface.<\/p>\n LRO is managed by\u00a0NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/a>\u00a0in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Launched on June 18, 2009, LRO has collected a treasure trove of data with its seven powerful instruments, making an invaluable contribution to our knowledge about the Moon. NASA is returning to the Moon with commercial and international partners to expand human presence in space and bring back new knowledge and opportunities.<\/p>\n More on this story from Arizona State University\u2019s LRO Camera website<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Media Contact<\/strong>
Karen Fox \/ Molly Wasser
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov<\/a>\u00a0\/ molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n