lunarsynchronous

A lunarsynchronous orbit is a special type of orbit around the Moon where a spacecraft or satellite has an orbital period that precisely matches the Moon's sidereal rotation period. This means that from the perspective of an observer on the Moon's surface, the object in a lunarsynchronous orbit would appear to remain stationary over a specific point. This is analogous to a geostationary orbit around Earth.

For an orbit to be lunarsynchronous, it must also be circular and lie within the Moon's equatorial plane. The altitude of a lunarsynchronous orbit is approximately 88,440 kilometers (54,950 miles) above the Moon's mean radius, which is about 1,737.4 kilometers (1,079.6 miles). The orbital period is approximately 27.32 Earth days, which is the same duration as the Moon's sidereal rotation period.

The concept of a lunarsynchronous orbit is important for potential lunar communication networks, observation platforms, or relay satellites. Maintaining a fixed position relative to the lunar surface would simplify communication and data transmission from and to the Moon. However, unlike Earth's geostationary orbit, which is achievable and widely used, achieving a perfectly lunarsynchronous orbit is more challenging due to factors like the Moon's irregular shape and gravitational anomalies. Missions that aim for a stationary position over the Moon often use elliptical orbits or a series of maneuvers to maintain their desired viewing or communication window.