Apollo spacecraft are still in lunar orbit according to space force

[eli2]

I was messing around on space-track.org, as you do, and remembered the scott manley video about how the apollo 11 LM ascent module may still be in lunar orbit, so I decided to check if it was in the "Objects in Orbit" document, and sure enough it is, as well as some others:

name in document         Orbit type
APOLLO 16 LM (ORION)   SELENOCENTRIC
APOLLO 15 (IRW PL)      SELENOCENTRIC
APOLLO 11 LM (APS)      SELENOCENTRIC
APOLLO 10 LM (APS)      HELIOCENTRIC
APOLLO 10 LM (DPS)      SELENOCENTRIC

I think APS stands for "Ascent Propulsion System", and DPS stands for "Descent Propulsion system"
I think they just mean ascent module and decent module

Orion was the call sign/name of Apollo 16's lunar module, presumably they mean specifically the ascent stage

not sure what "IRW PL" stands for

They may just be extrapolating the same way hobbyists have, but regardless it's neat

-this has likely been posted before\
-document attached, had to edit file extension to upload; can be viewed in text form or you can rename the extension back to .html and open it in a browser

[Jorge]

name in document         Orbit type
APOLLO 15 (IRW PL)      SELENOCENTRIC

not sure what "IRW PL" stands for

The Apollo 15 and 16 CSMs deployed sub-satellite payloads in lunar orbit; that's most likely what's in the table.

[gwiz]

name in document         Orbit type
APOLLO 15 (IRW PL)      SELENOCENTRIC

not sure what "IRW PL" stands for

The Apollo 15 and 16 CSMs deployed sub-satellite payloads in lunar orbit; that's most likely what's in the table.

Sub-satellites were built by TRW, so possible mis-print for "TRW payload"?

[Orbiter]

I'd be curious to know if there's somehow new evidence to support Eagle still being in lunar orbit that's not available to the public, or if this is just based on the last known orbital elements of Eagle.

[James Meador]

Orion is certainly NOT still in orbit. Looks like Orion hit the Moon on May 29th, 1972...within hours of the PFS-2 Subsatellite...

https://snoopy.rogertwank.net/2022/02/what-about-orion.html