circumlunary

Circumlunary is a term used to describe objects or trajectories that orbit the Moon. This can refer to artificial satellites or spacecraft that have been placed into lunar orbit, or potentially to natural objects that may have been captured by the Moon's gravity.

The concept of circumlunary trajectories is significant in space exploration. For missions to the Moon, achieving a stable orbit around it can be a crucial step. This allows for detailed observation of the lunar surface, serves as a staging point for landing missions, or can be used for scientific studies of the Moon and its environment. The Soviet Luna program and the American Apollo program both utilized circumlunary trajectories extensively.

Natural objects in circumlunary orbit are less common. While the Moon has no permanent natural satellites like Earth does with its Moon, temporary capture of small asteroids or meteoroids can occur. These objects would typically have unstable orbits and would eventually either escape the Moon's gravity, impact the Moon, or be perturbed into a different trajectory. The term therefore primarily pertains to human-made spacecraft. Understanding the dynamics of circumlunary orbits is essential for mission planning and navigation.