The new Unified Geologic Map and corresponding labels layers from the USGS Astrogeology Science Center released earlier this year is another amazing addition to Lunar QuickMap. This new geologic map allows the comparison of geologic units across the Moon with unified unit descriptions and ages for all areas. Many new layers have been added for instruments like Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), Kaguya SELenological and ENgineering Explorer (SELENE), and Lunar Prospector since 2019, as well as new and updated virtual layers, overlays, and footprints. In addition to the increasing number of LROC NAC and WAC images and RDR footprints available to the Lunar QuickMap after each LROC PDS release, a large number of incremental updates to instrument and non-instrument layers are also included as data becomes available. The updates provide improved ease and accuracy when searching and analyzing lunar data and a more enjoyable experience for anyone looking to explore the Moon. LROC is thrilled to announce the Lunar QuickMap spring 2020 update release! The update, which was officially released earlier today, includes many exciting new layers and features, as well as enhancements to previously released layers and tools that you may be familiar with. In addition, the LROC team used improved ephemeris provide by the LOLA and GRAIL teams and an improved camera pointing model to enable accurate projection of each image in the mosaic to within 20 meters.įor more information about this product, check out the featured image.Lunar QuickMap spring 2020 update delivers exciting new features and layers for enhanced user customization and data analysis. A polar stereographic projection was used in order to limit mapping distortions when creating the 2-D map. The LROC Northern Polar Mosaic (LNPM) is likely one of the world’s largest image mosaics in existence, or at least publicly available on the web, with over 680 gigapixels of valid image data covering a region of the Moon (2.54 million km², 0.98 million miles²) slightly larger than the combined area of Alaska (1.72 million km²) and Texas (0.70 million km²) - at a resolution of 2 meters per pixel! To create the mosaic, each LROC NAC image was map projected on a 30 m/pixel Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) derived Digital Terrain Model (DTM) using a software package called Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS). The LROC team assembled 10,581 NAC images, collected over 4 years, into a spectacular northern polar mosaic. As a result, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) archive now contains complete coverage from 60°N to the north pole (except of course for areas of permanent shadow) with a pixel scale of 2 meters. The increased altitude over the northern hemisphere enables the two Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) to capture more terrain in each image acquired in the northern hemisphere. After two and a half years in a near-circular polar orbit, LRO entered an elliptical polar orbit on 11 December 2011 with a periapsis (point where the LRO is closest to the surface) near the south pole, and the apoapsis (point where LRO is furthest from the surface) near the north pole. On 18 June 2009, NASA launched the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to map the surface of the Moon and collect measurements of potential future landing sites as well as key science targets.
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