LLNL’s High-Resolution Telescope System to Usher in a New Era of Lunar Exploration

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Rendering of Firefly’s Elytra spacecraft in lunar orbit providing Ocula lunar imaging services. (Image: Firefly Aerospace)
Rendering of Firefly’s Elytra spacecraft in lunar orbit providing Ocula lunar imaging services (image: Firefly Aerospace).

July 15, 2025 | Originally published by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) on June 18, 2025

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is playing a pivotal role supporting a groundbreaking lunar imaging effort in collaboration with Firefly Aerospace.

A LLNL state-of-the-art telescope system will be deployed onboard Firefly’s Elytra orbital vehicle to enable Firefly’s new Ocula imaging service, as early as 2026. This marks the first planned commercial lunar imaging service, providing unprecedented ultraviolet and visible spectrum imagery of the Moon from lunar orbit.

The LLNL-developed telescope system is capable of up to 0.2-meter-resolution of the lunar surface at an altitude of 50 kilometers, enabling detailed mapping of mineral deposits, high-fidelity site selection for future landings, and enhanced cislunar situational awareness.

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