[SunkenCiv]

Spacecraft orbiting the Earth have remained in space since the 1950's and may last for centuries more, but spacecraft orbiting close to the moon can crash within weeks. The reason for this is the lunar gravity field is lumpy, with geological features making the smooth orbits of space probes distort until they hit the surface.

Why Do Lunar Satellites Eventually Crash Into The Moon?
Scott Manley | May 22, 2019

• The Moon reveals its weirder side - SELENE mission reports on gravity anomalies. [02/16/2009]

[BenLurkin]

Interesting!

[SunkenCiv]

For related topics regarding Earth, the rest of the "Potsdam Gravity Potato" keyword, sorted:

• Geologists Have Closely Analyzed Two Bizarre 'Blobs' Detected Deep Inside Earth [03/11/2022]
• Wild New Paper Suggests Earth's Tectonic Activity Has an Unseen Source [01/27/2022]
• Recordings of the magnetic field from 9,000 years ago teach us about the magnetic field today [12/11/2021]
• NASA's New X-Ray Telescope Is A Revolution in Astronomy and Launch Profiles [SpaceX, Van Allen Belt, South Atlantic Anomaly] [12/11/2021]
• Is Earth's core lopsided? Strange goings-on in our planet's interior [06/05/2021]
• How long is a day on Venus? It's always changing, new study reveals [05/11/2021]
• Vast Fragments of an Alien World Could Be Buried Deep Within Earth Itself [03/25/2021]
• Scientists Detect Signs of a Hidden Structure Inside Earth's Core [03/04/2021]
• The spacecraft-killing anomaly over the South Atlantic [02/20/2021]
• The Herky-Jerky Weirdness of Earth's Magnetic Field [12/23/2020]
• Earth Keeps Pulsating Every 26 Seconds. No One Knows Why. [11/04/2020]
• NASA Is Tracking a Vast, Growing Anomaly in Earth's Magnetic Field [08/18/2020]
• Search for MH370 Revealed Ocean Crust Waves [06/12/2020]
• Scientists detect unexpected widespread structures near Earth's core [06/12/2020]
• Part of Earth's Magnetic Field is Getting Weaker in 'Vigorously' Developing Anomaly, Scientists Say [05/22/2020]
• Rapid Drift of Magnetic North Explained [05/19/2020]
• Something Strange Sends Tech Haywire at Earth's Poles, And NASA Wants to Know More [11/30/2019]
• How Earth's mantle is like a Jackson Pollock painting [05/21/2019]
• The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project [12/30/2018]
• Scientists model Mercury's glaciers [12/28/2018]
• Earth's Second Magnetic Field: Satellite Image Reveals Invisible Force From Ocean Currents [04/12/2018]
• US Navy locates crashed plane deep on Pacific seabed [01/06/2018]
• New Seafloor Map Reveals How Strange the Gulf of Mexico Is [05/27/2017]
• The Search for MH370 Revealed Secrets of the Deep Ocean [03/12/2017]
• Earth's Magnetic Field is Changing [12/23/2016]
• Scientists find 500 U.S. seabed vents of powerful greenhouse gas [10/21/2016]
• Vast asteroid created 'Man in Moon's eye' crater [07/20/2016]
• Seabed Scanning for East Anglian windfarm reveals Uncharted WWI German Submarine [01/25/2016]
• Ocean Search for Malaysian Airliner Finds 2nd Shipwreck [MH370] [01/14/2016]
• Seabed Gives Up Spanish Armada Wreck Cannons [06/18/2015]
• MH370 search discovers a shipwreck not the missing plane [05/13/2015]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Gravitational Anomalies of Mercury [05/05/2015]
• Inconvenient study: Methane seepage from the Arctic seabed has been occurring for millions of years [02/07/2015]
• Seafloor volcano pulses may alter climate: [02/05/2015]
• AirAsia QZ8501: Plane tail lifted from seabed [01/10/2015]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Potsdam Gravity Potato [12/15/2014]
• Potato Earth: Gravity satellite reveals what our planet REALLY looks like [03/31/2011]
• Air France 447 electrical problems and the South Atlantic Anomaly [06/05/2009]
• The Moon reveals its weirder side - SELENE mission reports on gravity anomalies. [02/16/2009]
• Satellites Solve Mystery Of Low Gravity Over Canada [05/11/2007]
• Does a giant crater lie beneath the Antarctic ice? [06/05/2006]
• Exploring The Ocean Basins With Satellite Altimeter Data [03/28/2005]
• Gravity variations predict earthquake behavior [08/04/2003]
• 'Potato' Earth's Deep Secrets (Gravity Map) [07/24/2003]
• Mysterious Shift in Earth's Gravity Suggests Equator is Bulging [08/01/2002]
• Astronomy Picture Of The Day : A Gravity Map of Earth [11/13/2001]