Abstract
We carried out an extensive cartographic analysis of the Apollo 17 landing site and determined and mapped positions of the astronauts, their equipment, and lunar landmarks with accuracies of better than ±1 m in most cases. To determine coordinates in a lunar body-fixed coordinate frame, we applied least squares (2-D) network adjustments to angular measurements made in astronaut imagery (Hasselblad frames). The measured angular networks were accurately tied to lunar landmarks provided by a 0.5 m/pixel, controlled Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) orthomosaic of the entire Taurus-Littrow Valley. Furthermore, by applying triangulation on measurements made in Hasselblad frames providing stereo views, we were able to relate individual instruments of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) to specific features captured in LROC imagery and, also, to determine coordinates of astronaut equipment or other surface features not captured in the orbital images, for example, the deployed geophones and Explosive Packages (EPs) of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) or the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) at major sampling stops. Our results were integrated into a new LROC NAC-based Apollo 17 Traverse Map and also used to generate a series of large-scale maps of all nine traverse stations and of the ALSEP area. In addition, we provide crater measurements, profiles of the navigated traverse paths, and improved ranges of the sources and receivers of the active seismic experiment LSPE.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Earth and Space Science |
| DOIs | |
| State | Accepted/In press - Jan 1 2019 |
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Keywords
- Apollo 17
- Hasselblad
- LROC NAC DTM
- planetary cartography
- position determination
- traverse map
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
Cite this
Coordinates and Maps of the Apollo 17 Landing Site. / Haase, Isabel; Wählisch, Marita; Gläser, Philipp; Oberst, Jürgen; Robinson, Mark.
In: Earth and Space Science, 01.01.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Coordinates and Maps of the Apollo 17 Landing Site
AU - Haase, Isabel
AU - Wählisch, Marita
AU - Gläser, Philipp
AU - Oberst, Jürgen
AU - Robinson, Mark
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - We carried out an extensive cartographic analysis of the Apollo 17 landing site and determined and mapped positions of the astronauts, their equipment, and lunar landmarks with accuracies of better than ±1 m in most cases. To determine coordinates in a lunar body-fixed coordinate frame, we applied least squares (2-D) network adjustments to angular measurements made in astronaut imagery (Hasselblad frames). The measured angular networks were accurately tied to lunar landmarks provided by a 0.5 m/pixel, controlled Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) orthomosaic of the entire Taurus-Littrow Valley. Furthermore, by applying triangulation on measurements made in Hasselblad frames providing stereo views, we were able to relate individual instruments of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) to specific features captured in LROC imagery and, also, to determine coordinates of astronaut equipment or other surface features not captured in the orbital images, for example, the deployed geophones and Explosive Packages (EPs) of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) or the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) at major sampling stops. Our results were integrated into a new LROC NAC-based Apollo 17 Traverse Map and also used to generate a series of large-scale maps of all nine traverse stations and of the ALSEP area. In addition, we provide crater measurements, profiles of the navigated traverse paths, and improved ranges of the sources and receivers of the active seismic experiment LSPE.
AB - We carried out an extensive cartographic analysis of the Apollo 17 landing site and determined and mapped positions of the astronauts, their equipment, and lunar landmarks with accuracies of better than ±1 m in most cases. To determine coordinates in a lunar body-fixed coordinate frame, we applied least squares (2-D) network adjustments to angular measurements made in astronaut imagery (Hasselblad frames). The measured angular networks were accurately tied to lunar landmarks provided by a 0.5 m/pixel, controlled Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) orthomosaic of the entire Taurus-Littrow Valley. Furthermore, by applying triangulation on measurements made in Hasselblad frames providing stereo views, we were able to relate individual instruments of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) to specific features captured in LROC imagery and, also, to determine coordinates of astronaut equipment or other surface features not captured in the orbital images, for example, the deployed geophones and Explosive Packages (EPs) of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) or the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) at major sampling stops. Our results were integrated into a new LROC NAC-based Apollo 17 Traverse Map and also used to generate a series of large-scale maps of all nine traverse stations and of the ALSEP area. In addition, we provide crater measurements, profiles of the navigated traverse paths, and improved ranges of the sources and receivers of the active seismic experiment LSPE.
KW - Apollo 17
KW - Hasselblad
KW - LROC NAC DTM
KW - planetary cartography
KW - position determination
KW - traverse map
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059877774&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85059877774&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2018EA000408
DO - 10.1029/2018EA000408
M3 - Article
JO - Earth and Space Science
JF - Earth and Space Science
SN - 2333-5084
ER -