Gallery: The Hackers Who Recovered NASA's Lost Lunar Photos

  • Earthrise over the Moon as seen by Lunar Orbiter 1 on August 24 1966.
    LOIRP/NASA
    01

    earthrise.l.w

    Earthrise over the Moon as seen by Lunar Orbiter 1 on August 24, 1966.
  • Image may contain Nature Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Outdoors Night Moon Planet and Sphere
    LOIRP/NASA
    02

    earthise.old.new.hi

    Comparison of the original Earthrise image as seen by the public in 1966 and the restored image released in 2008.
  • Image may contain Mountain Outdoors Nature Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Volcano and Crater
    LOIRP/NASA
    03

    3121-M

    The prominent feature in this image, taken by Lunar Orbiter 3 on 19 February 1967, is Tsiolkovskiy, a large impact crater located on the far side of the Moon.
  • Image may contain Ground Nature and Outdoors
    LOIRP/NASA
    04

    2162-H3

    Crater Copernicus as seen from an oblique angle by Lunar Orbiter 2 on 24 November 1966
  • Image may contain Advertisement Collage and Poster
    LOIRP/NASA
    05

    117.compare.vlrg

    Comparison of the resolution and image quality between the restored image and the original image (right) from the Earthrise as seen by Lunar Orbiter 1 on 25 August 1966.
  • Image may contain Mountain Outdoors Nature Crater Volcano Snowman Winter Snow and Astronomy
    LOIRP/NASA
    06

    2034-H3

    Straight shot of the lunar surface taken by Lunar Orbiter 2 on 19 November 1966.
  • Image may contain Rug Astronomy Universe Space and Outer Space
    LOIRP/NASA
    07

    2034-M

    The moon's far side, taken by Lunar Orbiter 2 on 19 November 1966.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Astronomy Universe Space Outer Space Eclipse Lunar Eclipse Moon and Night
    LOIRP/NASA
    08

    1117-H.full-10pct.lrg

    This second earthrise image was taken on August 25, 1966. Most of what is visible on the Moon's surface is the far side, with the Sea of Tsiolkovsky prominently featured. A flaw in the onboard processing of the first Earthrise image–taken two days earlier–left a noticable flaw, whereas this second image, although it has a similar flaw, is far more uniform in its quality than the first.
  • Image may contain Wood Outdoors Nature Hole and Ground
    LOIRP/NASA
    09

    3073-M

    Medium resolution image taken by Lunar Orbiter 3 on 17 February 1967
  • Image may contain Outdoors Nature Mountain Astronomy Universe Space and Outer Space
    LOIRP/NASA
    10

    3121-H1

    A closeup of Tsiolkovskiy impact crater.
  • Image may contain Outdoors Nature Mountain Universe Space Astronomy and Outer Space
    LOIRP/NASA
    11

    3199-H3

    Detail of a lunar geographical feature as seen by Lunar Orbiter 3 on 22 February 1967
  • Image may contain Universe Space Night Astronomy Moon Outdoors Nature and Outer Space
    LOIRP/NASA
    12

    4123-M.2014-01-17

    Lunar Orbiter 4 photograph showing a crescent Earth and partly illuminated Moon. The lunar sunset terminator is at 140 E and runs through the large dark-floored crater Tsiolkovsky, about 240 km diameter towards the bottom of the Moon. The part of the Moon visible in this image is the western far side. The frame has been turned upside down to give the "correct" orientation.
Read More
US Special Forces Soldier Arrested for Polymarket Bets on Maduro Raid
The master sergeant allegedly used classified intel to profit on the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, marking the first US arrest for insider trading on a prediction market.
Kate Knibbs
Newly Deciphered Sabotage Malware May Have Targeted Iran’s Nuclear Program—and Predates Stuxnet
Researchers have finally cracked Fast16, mysterious code capable of silently tampering with calculation and simulation software. It was created in 2005—and likely deployed by the US or an ally.
Andy Greenberg
Rednote Draws a Line Between China and the World
As the platform expands abroad, it’s taking steps to separate Chinese users from the international audiences it once brought together.
Zeyi Yang
Apple’s Next Chapter, SpaceX and Cursor Strike a Deal, and Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto
In this week’s episode of Uncanny Valley, we talk about Tim Cook’s legacy as CEO at Apple and what his long-rumored departure means for the future of one of the world's biggest companies.
Brian Barrett
At 'AI Coachella,' Stanford Students Line Up to Learn From Silicon Valley Royalty
CS 153 has gone viral on the Palo Alto campus—and on X. Not everyone is happy about it.
Maxwell Zeff
Palantir Employees Are Starting to Wonder if They're the Bad Guys
Interviews with current and former Palantir employees, along with internal Slack messages obtained by WIRED, suggest a workforce in turmoil.
Makena Kelly
This Is the Only Office Lamp That Does Double Duty on My Nightstand
Portable lamps are rarely, if ever, as powerful, precise, and multipurpose as the Lume Cube Edge Light Go.
Matthew Korfhage
These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden Cost
The Kickstarter-funded glasses from L'Atitude 52°N have AI features bundled for one year, but the company doesn't know yet how much it will charge for access after that.
Boone Ashworth
The Best Pool-Cleaning Robots for a Truly Automated Summer
Send the pool guy packing. One of these robotic buddies can maintain your water quality instead.
Christopher Null
The Best Fitbit Models for Every Lifestyle
The fitness trackers I'd recommend to beginners, athletes, and kids.
Boutayna Chokrane
Robot Vacuums That Don't Suck (Unless It's Dirt)
Tired of vacuuming? Hand the reins to a robot vacuum.
Nena Farrell
They Made D4vd a Star. Now They Want Him Convicted of Murder
A legion of young fans propelled the singer D4vd to viral fame. Now that he’s been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, they say the clues were in their Discord all along.
Jennifer Swann