Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Christian N. Alf Mentor: Mark S. Robinson School of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission Overview

Launches in late 2008 First mission in NASAs plan to return to the moon Seven Instruments

LROC: Global imaging LOLA: Global topography LEND: Neutron flux (water ice) DLRE: Temp. of lunar surface LAMP: Search for surface ices in polar regions

CRaTER: Lunar radiation environment Mini-RF: SAR (image permanently shadowed areas) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Primary Goals Study meter-scale features

Landing site selection Image lunar poles Areas of permanent shadow Other Goals Stereo imaging for topography Multispectral imaging for mineralogy and surface composition

Assess current impact hazards Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Cameras 2 Narrow Angle Cameras (NAC) 0.5 meter per pixel resolution Stereo Images Look for future landing sites

Wide Angle Camera (WAC) 100 meter per pixel resolution Multispectral Images Apollo Metric Image Scans Images from Apollo 15,16, and 17 Full resolution scans

Available to public http://apollo.sese.asu.edu/ Apollo Metric Image Scans Apollo Metric Image Scans Crater Counting Compare with LROC data

Impact rates over last 40 years Average crater size Impact locations

Crater erosion Apollo Metric Image Scans Lunar Geologic History Map Create a digital version of the Wilhelms Geologic History of the Moon Aide scientists in finding Regions of

Interest (ROIs) Proof of concept Process demonstration Lunar Geologic History Map Thank You