Researchers at the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia recently tested a cutting-edge space-imaging radar, producing an extraordinarily detailed view of the Apollo 15 landing site on the Moon.
For years, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a leading U.S. aerospace firm, has been advancing radar imaging technology. Building on established principles, the team pushed performance limits during a November test. A new transmitter on the Green Bank Telescope beamed radar signals toward the Moon, zeroing in on the Apollo 15 landing site across a 3,474.2 km diameter disk.
The reflected signals were captured by the Very Long Baseline Array—a network of radio telescopes spanning the U.S., functioning as one massive instrument. This yielded spectacular 5-meter resolution, revealing fine lunar details.
The image below highlights Hadley C crater, about 6 km wide (top middle), and the sinuous Hadley Rille—an ancient collapsed lava tube from millions of years ago. The inset box marks the Apollo 15 landing site. Launched in July 1971, the mission featured astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin on the surface, with Alfred M. Worden orbiting the Moon.
This proof-of-concept test showcases the technology's vast potential, paving the way for advanced radar systems. Next up: a 500-kilowatt radar capable of imaging objects as distant as Neptune.
“The planned system will be a leap forward in radar science, allowing access to never-before-seen features of the Solar System from here on Earth,” said Karen O’Neil, director of the Green Bank Observatory.
Beyond the Moon, this tool could map other planetary surfaces, asteroids, and faint space debris invisible to optical telescopes. Enhanced detection and tracking would deepen our understanding of near-Earth objects—both natural and human-made—bolstering planetary defense against potential threats.
