Earth behind the moon

Cislunar Database

This database contains XGEO, cislunar, and heliocentric missions currently on orbit or planned, based on publicly available sources found by our team (including manufacturer websites, conference papers, press releases, etc.).
 
 
HISTORICAL/ESTIMATED LAUNCH

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Name Historical/Estimated Launch Location Detailed Location Country Cislunar Status Orbit Type Sources
Name DSL-5 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location 300-km circular orbit, 30 degree inclination Country China Cislunar Status Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145622/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d…
Name DSL-6 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location 300-km circular orbit, 30 degree inclination Country China Cislunar Status Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145622/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d…
Name DSL-7 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location 300-km circular orbit, 30 degree inclination Country China Cislunar Status Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145622/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d…
Name DSL-8 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location 300-km circular orbit, 30 degree inclination Country China Cislunar Status Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145622/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d…
Name DSL-9 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location 300-km circular orbit, 30 degree inclination Country China Cislunar Status Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145622/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d…
Name DSL-10 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location 300-km circular orbit, 30 degree inclination Country China Cislunar Status Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145622/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d…
Name Taiji-2 A Historical/Estimated Launch Location Heliocentric Orbit The term "Heliocentric Orbit" is used here to describe objects that are primarily in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to in the Earth-Moon vicinity. Detailed Location 60-million km heliocentric orbit Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145624/https://dds.sciengine.com/cfs/files/…
Name Taiji-2 B Historical/Estimated Launch Location Heliocentric Orbit The term "Heliocentric Orbit" is used here to describe objects that are primarily in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to in the Earth-Moon vicinity. Detailed Location 60-million km heliocentric orbit Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145624/https://dds.sciengine.com/cfs/files/…
Name Taiji-2 C Historical/Estimated Launch Location Heliocentric Orbit The term "Heliocentric Orbit" is used here to describe objects that are primarily in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to in the Earth-Moon vicinity. Detailed Location 60-million km heliocentric orbit Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20240920145624/https://dds.sciengine.com/cfs/files/…
Name LASSO Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location

Specifics TBD To Be Determined , solicitation references possibility of 10km altitudes

Country USA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20250514144003/https://sam.gov/opp/5fe1f423f9994330…
Name Binar Prospector Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location

TBD To Be Determined , references to 20km altitude passes

Country Australia Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20250521082719/https://www.binarspace.com/mission/p…
Name ARIEL Historical/Estimated Launch Location Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point 1/2 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. Detailed Location

Quasi-halo

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Ariel_factsheet
Name Comet Interceptor 1 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point 1/2 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. Detailed Location

L2 Halo (2-3 years) then TBD To Be Determined heliocentric transfer orbit

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_s_new_mission_to_inte…, https://www.cometinterceptor.space/
Name Comet Interceptor 2 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point 1/2 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. Detailed Location

L2 Halo (2-3 years) then TBD To Be Determined heliocentric transfer orbit

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_s_new_mission_to_inte…, https://www.cometinterceptor.space/
Name Comet Interceptor 3 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point 1/2 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. Detailed Location

L2 Halo (2-3 years) then TBD To Be Determined heliocentric transfer orbit

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_s_new_mission_to_inte…, https://www.cometinterceptor.space/
Name MoonLight COM Historical/Estimated Launch Location Lunar Orbit Any vehicle that orbits the Moon (as opposed to relying on three-body effects) can be called a lunar orbit. In this document, it often refers to something that is not known to fall cleanly in the LLO or EFLO categories defined above.  Detailed Location

24-hour EFLO, apoapse over south pole

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Applications/Connectivity_and_Secure_Communications/ESA_s_M…, https://bsgn.esa.int/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charles-Cranstoun_Lunar-Comm-Na…
Name MoonLight NAV 1 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Lunar Orbit Any vehicle that orbits the Moon (as opposed to relying on three-body effects) can be called a lunar orbit. In this document, it often refers to something that is not known to fall cleanly in the LLO or EFLO categories defined above.  Detailed Location

24-hour EFLO, apoapse over south pole

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Applications/Connectivity_and_Secure_Communications/ESA_s_M…, https://bsgn.esa.int/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charles-Cranstoun_Lunar-Comm-Na…
Name Space Weather Next L1 #1 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point 1/2 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. Detailed Location TBD To Be Determined Country USA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/future-programs/space-weather-next
Name Solar Polar Orbit Observatory Historical/Estimated Launch Location Heliocentric Orbit The term "Heliocentric Orbit" is used here to describe objects that are primarily in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to in the Earth-Moon vicinity. Detailed Location 80-degree inclined heliocentric orbit Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources
Name ESPRIT Refueling Module Historical/Estimated Launch Location Gateway L2S NRHO The Gateway L2S NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Southern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar north pole and a high periapse over the lunar south pole. NASA's Gateway station will be placed in this orbit, so it is of high-interest. Detailed Location

Gateway L2S NRHO The Gateway L2S NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Southern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar north pole and a high periapse over the lunar south pole. NASA's Gateway station will be placed in this orbit, so it is of high-interest.

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Gateway_L…
Name Artemis 5 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Gateway L2S NRHO The Gateway L2S NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Southern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar north pole and a high periapse over the lunar south pole. NASA's Gateway station will be placed in this orbit, so it is of high-interest. Detailed Location

Gateway L2S NRHO The Gateway L2S NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Southern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar north pole and a high periapse over the lunar south pole. NASA's Gateway station will be placed in this orbit, so it is of high-interest.

Country USA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit Sources https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-second-artemis-l…, https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/nasa-fiscal-year-2025-budget-su…
Name Chandrayaan-4 Ascent Module Historical/Estimated Launch Location Low Lunar Orbit A low lunar orbit (LLO) is an orbit about the Moon that stays near the Lunar surface. There is no official definition, but altitudes under 1000 km is a reasonable working definition of "low". Detailed Location

Unknown - will dock with return vehicle to deposit lunar surface samples, then undock before the rest of the vehicle returns to earth

Country India Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://www.isro.gov.in/UnionCabinetApprovesIndiasMission.html
Name Rosotics 1 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Earth-Moon L5 Detailed Location TBD To Be Determined Country USA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20250117171322/https://www.rosotics.com/post/rosoti…
Name ILRS-1 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Lunar Orbit Any vehicle that orbits the Moon (as opposed to relying on three-body effects) can be called a lunar orbit. In this document, it often refers to something that is not known to fall cleanly in the LLO or EFLO categories defined above.  Detailed Location

Unknown. All ILRS missions expected to target same surface location, may vary in orbital configuration.

Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20220822205424/https://www.roscosmos.ru/media/files…
Name Vigil Historical/Estimated Launch Location Sun-Earth L5 Lagrange point 5 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. Detailed Location

Unknown

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/ESA_Vigil_overview
Name Korean Lunar Explorer Orbiter Historical/Estimated Launch Location Lunar Orbit Any vehicle that orbits the Moon (as opposed to relying on three-body effects) can be called a lunar orbit. In this document, it often refers to something that is not known to fall cleanly in the LLO or EFLO categories defined above.  Detailed Location

Unknown, will be influenced by results of Danuri mission

Country Korea Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XLI-B4/417/2016…
Name Artemis 6 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Gateway L2S NRHO The Gateway L2S NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Southern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar north pole and a high periapse over the lunar south pole. NASA's Gateway station will be placed in this orbit, so it is of high-interest. Detailed Location

Gateway L2S NRHO The Gateway L2S NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Southern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar north pole and a high periapse over the lunar south pole. NASA's Gateway station will be placed in this orbit, so it is of high-interest.

Country USA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit Sources https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-second-artemis-l…, https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/nasa-fiscal-year-2025-budget-su…
Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 1 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Elliptical Frozen Lunar Orbit An elliptical frozen lunar orbit (EFLO) is an orbit about the moon that typically is highly eccentric, with a much lower periapse altitude than apoapse. Because the Moon's gravity is very irregular, there is a limited range of stable orbits. "Frozen" orbits maintain desirable orbit geometry in the face of these gravity perturbations, and are thus popular for use. Many high-altitude Lunar orbits are in elliptical frozen orbits for this reason Detailed Location

55 deg inclination, 12h period, 300km periapse altitude, eccentricity of 0.668, arg. Periapse of 90 deg

Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml
Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 2 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Elliptical Frozen Lunar Orbit An elliptical frozen lunar orbit (EFLO) is an orbit about the moon that typically is highly eccentric, with a much lower periapse altitude than apoapse. Because the Moon's gravity is very irregular, there is a limited range of stable orbits. "Frozen" orbits maintain desirable orbit geometry in the face of these gravity perturbations, and are thus popular for use. Many high-altitude Lunar orbits are in elliptical frozen orbits for this reason Detailed Location

55 deg inclination, 12h period, 300km periapse altitude, eccentricity of 0.668, arg. Periapse of 90 deg

Country China Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml
Name MoonLight NAV 2 Historical/Estimated Launch Location Lunar Orbit Any vehicle that orbits the Moon (as opposed to relying on three-body effects) can be called a lunar orbit. In this document, it often refers to something that is not known to fall cleanly in the LLO or EFLO categories defined above.  Detailed Location

24-hour EFLO, apoapse over south pole

Country ESA Cislunar Status Upcoming Orbit Type Lunar Orbit Sources https://www.esa.int/Applications/Connectivity_and_Secure_Communications/ESA_s_M…, https://bsgn.esa.int/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charles-Cranstoun_Lunar-Comm-Na…