NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Cake for LRO Guests

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's deputy project manager and project scientist, Cathy Peddie and Dr. Richard Vondrak, cut cake for guests at Goddard's Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Md., on the evening of Aug. 1, 2009.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center invited the public to enjoy a variety of activities commemorating LRO's arrival at the moon in June. Guests could gaze at stars and the moon through telescopes, talk with the LRO team and see new images from the satellite, among other activities. Visitors also ventured to the center's laser ranging facility, where engineers track the LRO satellite. A number of hands-on activities for young children and their families provided knowledge and understanding of the phases of the moon, crater creation and the scale of the Earth/moon system.

The LRO mission, built and managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, launched on June 18, 2009. LRO will spend at least one year in low polar orbit around the moon, collecting detailed information about the lunar surface. Among other aims, LRO's objectives are to scout for safe future landing sites and locate potential resources.

Credit: NASA/Debbie McCallum