Comments on: Two lunar orbiters spot the crash site of Ispace’s Resilience lander

By: Edward

Edward — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:40:00 +0000

Dick Eagleson wrote: “I would think something in GEO would get you a more interesting shot – and from much closer – than could any extant or notional new lunar orbiter”

Geostationary weather satellites might have the cameras in interesting wavelengths, but can they be pointed in the right direction and can they keep up with the motion of the asteroid? We seem to have an opportunity for some close-up science.

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:32:35 +0000

I’d settle for just getting some new and more capable lunar orbiters into lunar orbit. The ones we’ve got now have done yeoman work, but they’re also getting pretty long in the tooth and nothing lasts forever.

Re: snapshots of Apophis in 2029, I would think something in GEO would get you a more interesting shot – and from much closer – than could any extant or notional new lunar orbiter.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 05:17:05 +0000

In reply to Ronaldus Magnus.

Ronaldus Magnus: Do a search on BtB for “Apophis”. It will bring up all the information on all the missions in the works to get to the asteroid in 2029. None are from the lunar lander companies, as they aren’t yet advanced enough to do it.

Your question though makes me wonder if the lunar orbiters might be able to grab an image. Likely not, as the speeds will be too great, but the question is worth asking.

By: Ronaldus Magnus

Ronaldus Magnus — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 04:40:24 +0000

Lunar orbiters – Have any lunar orbiters ever been able to get an image of a passing object? When Apophis approaches in 2029, will any lunar orbiters try to get an image? I realize that the Ramses probe will rendezvous with Apophis. An image of Ramses with Apophis from a lunar orbiter would be…well…… Cool Image Time!