http://institute.nsta.org/web_seminars.asp

NASA/NSTA Web Seminar:

Lunar Exploration: Mapping the Moon

LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP

Mapping the MoonAnuradha Koratkar, Susan Hoban

Albert Hill, Brendan Shaughnessy

Why do we need maps?

• To locate something

• To navigate to a certain location

• To explore a region

• To build something in an area

• To determine the boundaries of an area

We need maps for multiple reasons

Why map the Moon?

• Longest Apollo mission was 12 days. Now this time around we plan to go for months to the Moon.

• We need to land safely, find a site for a habitat, and explore the surface.

• Need to know the lay of the land, or scientifically we need to know the lunar topology. Accurate maps are essential for exploration activities.

1 m 10 m 100 m

1 km 10 km 100 km

How do we see an object?

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• To “see” an object, radiation has to be reflected or transmitted from that object.

• To “see” an object, it must be about the same size or larger than the wavelength of the radiation that is used to see it.

Light source

Detector/Eye

How do we map something?

• Draw a picture

• Take a photograph

Can you estimate the size and height of some of the features by just looking at this picture?

How do we generate topographic maps?

• Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) is a technique used to determine the distance to an object or surface.

• LIDAR typically uses UV, visible or IR pulses.

Scattered lightScattered light

Receiver telescope (Tr)

Basic operation of a LIDAR altimeter

Range = c*(Tr- T0)/2

Laser pulse transmitter (T0)

Satellite orbit

Reference level

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7A B C D E F G

3 clicks 6

clicks

0

1

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7A B C D E F G

MOLA Topographic map of Mars

Poll question

(a) 1-2 m

(b) 1-2 km

(c) 5-8 km

(d) 5-8 m

The average elevation of the southern highlands is?

Poll question (T/F)

The nearside of the moon has less variation than the far-side of the moon.

(a) True

(b) False

Lay of the land Resource availability

Access

Building cost Maintenance Other

• We defined a matrix which helps us decide which site best fits our needs.

• We need to do a similar analysis to find a site to land on the Moon.

Factors that affect choice of site on the Moon

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Factors that affect choice of site

• Orbital mechanics

• Landing safety

• Mobility

• Power

• Communication

• In situ resources

Independent of the choice of site we will need accurate maps essential for landing safely and for exploration

• Accuracy of <3m in elevation and <30m in the horizontal.

• The landing sites will be at a better accuracy (<1m vertical)

Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission will determine global topography.

1 m 10 m 100 m

1 km 10 km 100 km

If you have any questions let us discuss them on the discussion listserv. Flavio will send everyone a

link to subscribe to it.

For those of you working on earning two credits, there is homework. Flavio will send you a

message with a link to it.Please send it in by 14th Nov. 2006

See you at the next session on the 14th of Nov. which will be:

Water, Water Everywhere?