In October, India's Chandrayaan-2 orbiter adjusted its trajectory around the Moon to avoid NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), as confirmed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
With lunar orbits growing increasingly congested—much like low Earth orbit where space debris prompts frequent International Space Station maneuvers—minor trajectory adjustments are now essential. In mid-October, ISRO reported that Chandrayaan-2 executed such a tweak to safely pass NASA's LRO.
Data from both ISRO and NASA indicated the spacecraft would pass just three kilometers apart near the lunar north pole on October 20 at 5:45 UTC. Pre-conjunction analysis over the prior week showed radial separation under 100 meters at closest approach.
The agencies coordinated an evasive maneuver for Chandrayaan-2 on October 18 to ensure adequate radial separation.
Both orbiters follow near-polar paths, making close encounters over the lunar poles inevitable.
"NASA and ISRO fully coordinated the Chandrayaan-2 maneuver on October 18," said NASA spokesperson Nancy Jones. "Such collaboration is vital for safe lunar satellite operations. At no time were these two probes in danger."
Launched July 22, 2019, Chandrayaan-2 carried the 27-kg Vikram rover, targeting a soft landing at the lunar south pole. On September 6, contact was lost just meters from the surface.
NASA's LRO later imaged the crash site. Undeterred, ISRO plans Chandrayaan-3 in the coming months.
To date, only Russia, the United States, and China have achieved successful soft landings on the Moon.
