<p><a href="http://www.astronomy.com/news/2015/02/the-lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter-discovers-lunar-hydrogen-more-abundant-on-moons-pole-facing-slopes">The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter</a> is still up there. At <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Reconnaissance_Orbiter">a compact 2000kg</a>, it's likely too small to see via earth based telescope. <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/main/index.html#.VO4ZAkak85k">Mission Page</a></p>

<p>I think the <a href="http://www.universetoday.com/115887/chinese-unmanned-lunar-orbiter-returns-home-safely-paves-path-for-ambitious-lunar-sample-return/">Chinese orbiter is back on earth now</a>, but there may be others.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T22:18:30.273Z
`At a compact 2000kg, it's likely too small to see via earth based telescope.` That's an understatement. The Hubble wouldn't be able to see it, let alone a backyard telescope. See http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/faq/answer.php.cat=topten&id=77 .
David Hammen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-26T07:50:24.927Z
@David Hammen your link only deals with he ability of Hubble to resolve small objects, which is relevant for artefacts on the Lunar surface, but a satellite orbiting the Moon will at least at times be a bright spot against a dark background (albietly close to a bright object) sperated from the lunar surface by many times the resolution limit of Hubble.
Conrad Turner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-26T11:17:23.980Z
The upper stage of Chang'e 5T is still [maneuvering](http://www.ecns.cn/2014/12-03/145158.shtml) in cis-lunar space, but has left Lunar orbit.
LocalFluff
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-26T11:39:58.977Z
[Hubble](http://what-if.xkcd.com/32/) on XKCD What if?
Mithoron
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T02:40:32.943Z
@LocalFluff many people now think that it will hit the Moon next week https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_5-T1#Third_stage_disposal but there is still some uncertainty if the identification is correct or not.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T18:50:09.003Z
2015-02-25T18:50:09.003Z
Wayfaring Stranger
<p>Except for LRO, an upper stage of a payload destined to lunar orbit, might stay in lunar orbit for a while, and be much larger than the payload itself. But according to <a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/221/which-artificial-satellites-in-lunar-orbit-are-currently-active">this answer</a> it would be short lived without station keeping.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-26T11:15:13.477Z
2015-02-26T11:15:13.477Z
LocalFluff
<p>The Space SE question</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/q/20582/12102">Why was the 100m Green Bank dish needed together with DSN's 70m Goldstone dish to detect Chandrayaan-1 in lunar orbit?</a></li>
</ul>
<p>discusses the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan-1#Lunar_orbit_insertion" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ISRO satellite orbiting the moon Since 8 November 2008</a></p>
<p>These days I'm still waiting for some answer to</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/q/55782/12102">Was Chandrayaan-1 recovered (tracked) only that one time in 2016, or are folks still keeping an eye on it from time to time?</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T04:58:30.657Z
The chandrayaan 1 was last tracked on 2019. And it is said to still orbiting the moon. I will link sources
Kavin Ishwaran
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T13:54:30.460Z
@KavinIshwaran that's great to know, looking forward to it!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T15:02:38.387Z
https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/india-s-1st-lunar-probe-chandrayaan-1-spacecraft-still-orbiting-moon-nasa-117031000549_1.html I guess this one has all the info you needed
Kavin Ishwaran
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T16:24:20.370Z
@KavinIshwaran I think it's possible they just made a mistake in the article. It's written in 2019 and says "On July 2 **last year**, the team pointed Goldstone and Green Bank at a location about 160 kilometres above the Moon's north pole and waited... " suggesting it was done on July 2 2018. But [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2017-03-nasa-radar-technique-lost-lunar.html) says "So, on July 2, **2016**, the team pointed Goldstone and Green Bank at a location about 100 miles (160 kilometers) above the moon's north pole and waited..."
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-27T04:01:20.370Z
I think there is an error in the article I linked. Recently I was reading an article about Chandrayaan 3, Even in that it is specified that Chandrayaan 1 was tracked  on August of 2019. I looked for that Article but couldnt find it, I will look for a *confusion free* artlicle soon :)
Kavin Ishwaran
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-27T04:02:50.210Z
@KavinIshwaran that's great, thank you for your persistence!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T02:38:44.917Z
2022-02-26T02:38:44.917Z
uhoh
<p>I am just wondering whether any man-made satellites are currently orbiting our Moon. If there is one, would I be able to see it using my telescope?</p>

<the-moon><artificial-satellite>
Is there any man-made satellite orbiting our moon?
Sureshkumar Menon
# Is there any man-made satellite orbiting our moon?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-25)

I am just wondering whether any man-made satellites are currently orbiting our Moon. If there is one, would I be able to see it using my telescope?

**Tags:** the-moon, artificial-satellite


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-02-25. Score: 5

[The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter](http://www.astronomy.com/news/2015/02/the-lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter-discovers-lunar-hydrogen-more-abundant-on-moons-pole-facing-slopes) is still up there. At [a compact 2000kg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Reconnaissance_Orbiter), it's likely too small to see via earth based telescope. [Mission Page](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/main/index.html#.VO4ZAkak85k)

I think the [Chinese orbiter is back on earth now](http://www.universetoday.com/115887/chinese-unmanned-lunar-orbiter-returns-home-safely-paves-path-for-ambitious-lunar-sample-return/), but there may be others.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: `At a compact 2000kg, it's likely too small to see via earth based telescope.` That's an understatement. The Hubble wouldn't be able to see it, let alone a backyard telescope. See http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/faq/answer.php.cat=topten&id=77 .  
> **username_3**: @username_2 your link only deals with he ability of Hubble to resolve small objects, which is relevant for artefacts on the Lunar surface, but a satellite orbiting the Moon will at least at times be a bright spot against a dark background (albietly close to a bright object) sperated from the lunar surface by many times the resolution limit of Hubble.  
> **username_4**: The upper stage of Chang'e 5T is still [maneuvering](http://www.ecns.cn/2014/12-03/145158.shtml) in cis-lunar space, but has left Lunar orbit.  
> **username_5**: [Hubble](http://what-if.xkcd.com/32/) on XKCD What if?  
> **username_6**: @username_4 many people now think that it will hit the Moon next week https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_5-T1#Third_stage_disposal but there is still some uncertainty if the identification is correct or not.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-02-26. Score: 2

Except for LRO, an upper stage of a payload destined to lunar orbit, might stay in lunar orbit for a while, and be much larger than the payload itself. But according to [this answer](https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/221/which-artificial-satellites-in-lunar-orbit-are-currently-active) it would be short lived without station keeping.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2022-02-26. Score: 0

The Space SE question

* [Why was the 100m Green Bank dish needed together with DSN's 70m Goldstone dish to detect Chandrayaan-1 in lunar orbit?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/20582/12102)

discusses the [ISRO satellite orbiting the moon Since 8 November 2008](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan-1#Lunar_orbit_insertion)

These days I'm still waiting for some answer to

* [Was Chandrayaan-1 recovered (tracked) only that one time in 2016, or are folks still keeping an eye on it from time to time?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/55782/12102)

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: The chandrayaan 1 was last tracked on 2019. And it is said to still orbiting the moon. I will link sources  
> **username_6**: @KavinIshwaran that's great to know, looking forward to it!  
> **username_7**: https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/india-s-1st-lunar-probe-chandrayaan-1-spacecraft-still-orbiting-moon-nasa-117031000549_1.html I guess this one has all the info you needed  
> **username_6**: @KavinIshwaran I think it's possible they just made a mistake in the article. It's written in 2019 and says "On July 2 **last year**, the team pointed Goldstone and Green Bank at a location about 160 kilometres above the Moon's north pole and waited... " suggesting it was done on July 2 2018. But [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2017-03-nasa-radar-technique-lost-lunar.html) says "So, on July 2, **2016**, the team pointed Goldstone and Green Bank at a location about 100 miles (160 kilometers) above the moon's north pole and waited..."  
> **username_7**: I think there is an error in the article I linked. Recently I was reading an article about Chandrayaan 3, Even in that it is specified that Chandrayaan 1 was tracked  on August of 2019. I looked for that Article but couldnt find it, I will look for a *confusion free* artlicle soon :)  
> **username_6**: @KavinIshwaran that's great, thank you for your persistence!  

---

