List of retroreflectors on the Moon


Retroreflectors are devices which reflect light back to its source. Seven retroreflectors were left at seven sites on the Moon by three crews of the Apollo program, two by remote landers of the Lunokhod program, one by the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and one by the Chandrayaan program. Lunar reflectors have enabled precise measurement of the Earth–Moon distance since 1969 using lunar laser ranging.
There have been several additional attempts to land retroreflectors on the lunar surface which were unsuccessful, and several future attempts are planned.

Successfully placed reflectors

OperatorMissionNameDateLocationCoordinatesSizeStatusComment
NASAApollo 11LRRR21 July 1969Mare Tranquillitatis46×46 cm
Soviet UnionLuna 17Lunokhod 117 November 1970Mare Imbrium44×19 cmRediscovered in 2010
NASAApollo 14LRRR31 January 1971Fra Mauro formation46×46 cm
NASAApollo 15LRRR31 July 1971Hadley–Apennine105×65 cm
Soviet UnionLuna 21Lunokhod 215 January 1973Le Monnier crater44×19 cm
ISROChandrayaan-3Vikram23 August 2023Statio Shiv Shakti5.11 cm diameter
University of MarylandBlue Ghost Mission 1Next Generation Lunar Retroreflectors on Blue Ghost Mission 1March 2, 2025Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille17x13x12 cm