| Name | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location | Detailed Location | Country | Cislunar Status | Orbit Type | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name MoonLight NAV 3 | 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 ILRS-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
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 LiteBIRD | 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
Lissajous |
Country Japan | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit | Sources https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.12449.pdf, https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/missions/spacecraft/future/litebird.html |
| Name Artemis 7 | 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 Line Emission Mapper (LEM) | 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 Halo | Country USA | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit | Sources https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20230004097 https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/… |
| Name Space Weather Next L1 #2 | 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 ILRS-3 | 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 Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 3 | 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 270 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 4 | 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 270 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 5 | 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 270 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 6 | 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 270 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 7 | 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 8 | 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 9 | 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 China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 10 | 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 China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 11 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location L2S Halo A halo orbit is a three-body orbit near a Lagrange point that includes significant motion out of the Earth-moon plane. Halo orbits are typically described with a family designator such as "L1S" to describe which Lagrange point they are near (in this case, 1) and whether they are in the "northern" or "southern" family, which indicates which direction the out-of-plane motion is focused on. These orbits also exist for the Sun-Earth system, but assume descriptions here are for the Earth-Moon system unless stated otherwise. |
Detailed Location
Period of 14.6 days, axial amplitude of 33km |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name ILRS-4 | 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 ILRS-5 | 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 ATHENA | 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
Halo |
Country ESA | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit | Sources https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Athena_factsheet |
| Name Unnamed Korean Sun-Earth L4 Mission | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location Sun-Earth L4 Lagrange point 4 in the Sun-Earth system, as opposed to the Earth-Moon system. |
Detailed Location
Unknown |
Country Korea | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Heliocentric Orbit | Sources https://khu.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/opening-new-horizons-with-the-l4-m… |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 12 | 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 13 | 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 14 | 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 270 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 15 | 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 270 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 16 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location L2N NRHO An L2N NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Northern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar south pole and a high apoapse over the lunar north pole. NRHOs are often desirable for their stability and low periapse altitudes. |
Detailed Location
Expected to be same 9:2 resonance as Gateway NRHO Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit , but with apoapse over the north pole instead of south |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 17 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location L2N NRHO An L2N NRHO (Near-Rectilinear-Halo-Orbit) is a subset of the L2 Northern Halo family with a low periapse over the lunar south pole and a high apoapse over the lunar north pole. NRHOs are often desirable for their stability and low periapse altitudes. |
Detailed Location
Expected to be same 9:2 resonance as Gateway NRHO Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit , but with apoapse over the north pole instead of south |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 18 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location L1S Halo A halo orbit is a three-body orbit near a Lagrange point that includes significant motion out of the Earth-moon plane. Halo orbits are typically described with a family designator such as "L1S" to describe which Lagrange point they are near (in this case, 1) and whether they are in the "northern" or "southern" family, which indicates which direction the out-of-plane motion is focused on. These orbits also exist for the Sun-Earth system, but assume descriptions here are for the Earth-Moon system unless stated otherwise. |
Detailed Location
Assume similar parameters as L2S L2 Southern halo (Period of 14.6 days, axial amplitude 33km) |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 19 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location Distant Retrograde Orbit A distant retrograde orbit (DRO) is a three-body orbit centered on the Moon that remains in the Earth-Moon plane. |
Detailed Location
2:1 resonant orbit. Average lunar distance of ~80,000 km |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 20 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location Distant Retrograde Orbit A distant retrograde orbit (DRO) is a three-body orbit centered on the Moon that remains in the Earth-Moon plane. |
Detailed Location
2:1 resonant orbit. Average lunar distance of ~80,000 km |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
| Name Proposed Chinese Near-Moon Constellation 21 | Historical/Estimated Launch | Location Distant Retrograde Orbit A distant retrograde orbit (DRO) is a three-body orbit centered on the Moon that remains in the Earth-Moon plane. |
Detailed Location
2:1 resonant orbit. Average lunar distance of ~80,000 km |
Country China | Cislunar Status Upcoming | Orbit Type Cislunar Three-Body Orbit | Sources http://journal26.magtechjournal.com/kjkxjs/EN/abstract/abstract11554.shtml |
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.).