Mini-RF Overview

  • Mini-RF Patch

    Overview

    The Mini-RF project will fly two radar instruments to the moon to map the lunar poles, search for water ice, and to demonstrate future NASA communication technologies. The first instrument launched on the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft and will map both polar regions. The second instrument will fly on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and will perform targeted radar observations and communications demonstrations.

Featured Images

Asymmetric crater in Mare Nubium

Asymmetric crater in Mare Nubium

Mini-RF has imaged this unusual crater in Mare Nubium that shows a bright pattern of ejecta around the crater, but with and excluded zone in one sector.

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Oceanus Procellarum - image strip

Oceanus Procellarum

This spectacular image strip across one of the most volcanically active regions of the Moon, Oceanus Procellarum.

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Hadley Rille

Hadley Rille

The sinuous rille Rima Hadley, site of the Apollo 15 mission to the Moon in 1971.

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Two Mini-RF S-band zoom radar image strips

Two Mini-RF S-band zoom radar image strips

Two Mini-RF S-band zoom radar image strips showing close-ups of crater Aratus, Manilius, and an unnamed fresh crater 2 miles in diameter.

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Radar Strip Showing Crater Bessel

Radar Strip Showing Crater Bessel

Mini-RF S-band zoom radar image strip through central Mare Serenitatis on the near side of the Moon.

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News and Events

Instrument Status

    June 23, 2009

    Chandrayaan-1: Mini-SAR has completed its first polar-imaging campaign. We've mapped more than 90% of both poles during this imaging campaign.

    Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: The second Mini-RF Instrument has successfully performed its "aliveness" test as part of the ongoing LRO commissioning activity. This completed the initial activation of all 7 LRO payloads. The first LRO Mini-RF image has now been posted.

Quick Facts

    Mini-SAR on Chandrayaan-1

    • Launch: October 22, 2008 00:52:02 UTC
    • Launch Vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, India
    • Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India
    • Lunar Orbit: 100 km, polar
    • Mission Duration: 2 years
    • Resolution: 150 meters

    Mini-RF on LRO

    • Launch: June 18th at 5:32 p.m. EDT
    • Launch Vehicle: Atlas V
    • Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
    • Lunar Orbit: 50 km, polar
    • Mission Duration: 1 year
    • Resolution: 150 meters & 30 meters

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