LRO Mission | NASA's First Step Back to the Moon

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is NASA's first step in returning humans to the Moon and extending human presence into the solar system. LRO will create the comprehensive atlas of the Moon's features and resources necessary to design and build the lunar outpost. The mission is scheduled to launch in late 2008 and will focus on the selection of safe landing sites, identification of lunar resources and study how the lunar radiation environment will affect humans.