Altitude band: Earth–Moon transfer to lunar orbit (~384,000 km)
Lunar-bound launches target either a translunar injection — a coast trajectory that intersects the Moon — or direct insertion into lunar orbit. Artemis, the Chinese Chang'e programme, and a growing cohort of commercial lunar landers (Intuitive Machines, Firefly, ispace) all fly here. Cost-to-orbit jumps by an order of magnitude versus LEO.
Common uses: lunar landers, lunar communications relays, Artemis crewed missions, lunar science
5 confirmed missions currently targeting Lunar Transfer & Lunar Orbit.
Recent launches to Lunar Transfer & Lunar Orbit from our archive: