http://www.marcusmoon2022.

org/

Mapping the Moon

Anuradha 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.
1m 10 m 100 m

1 km 10 km 100 km
 How do we see an object?

Talk on the telephone. Unmute by using *6

• 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.
 Basic operation of a LIDAR
altimeter
Laser pulse Receiver
Satellite orbit transmitter telescope (Tr)
(T0)

Range = c*(Tr- T0)/2

Scattered light Scattered light

Reference level
0

1
3
2 clicks
6
clicks
3

7
A B C D E F G
0

7
A B C D E F G
MOLA Topographic map of
Mars
 Poll question
The average elevation of the southern
highlands is?

(a) 1-2 m
(b) 1-2 km
(c) 5-8 km
(d) 5-8 m
 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 Access
availability

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

Talk on the telephone. Unmute by using *6

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

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

• The landing sites will

be at a better
accuracy (<1m
vertical)
1m 10 m 100 m

1 km 10 km 100 km