Geodetically controlled products: critical to the success of artemis and a sustained human presence on the moon

Motivation: Geodetically controlled products, including controlled mosaics and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), provide accurate and consistent basemaps that enable and enhance the science and exploration that could be performed by human crews on the lunar surface and they facilitate communication between engineers and scientists [1]. The use of consistently controlled base products encourages scientific collaborations by aiding strategic planning of data acquisition, supporting the production of geologic maps [2], enabling the accurate and reliable assessment of resources [3,4], and facilitating cross-discipline investigations. A consistent basemap also allows for more accurate integration of data from different instruments, such as visible wavelength images and radar [5,6], and ultimately can maximize the scientific return of lunar science investigations supported and enabled by Artemis. Reliable geodetically controlled products will specifically benefit both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of NASA’s Artemis program. During Phase 1, these consistent and accurate products will enable NASA to safely land human beings on the lunar surface near the Moon’s south pole and facilitate successful operations. These maps also benefit Phase 2, as the same map products should ideally be used both by humans on the lunar surface and by the ground crew and scientists with whom they are communicating to minimize miscommunications and ensure efficient and accurate transfer of vital, potentially life-saving, information. Existing USGS ASC Products: The USGS Astrogeology Science Center (ASC) has produced accurate photogrammetrically corrected mosaics and DTMs using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) and the Apollo panoramic cameras for the Lunar Mapping Modeling Project (LMMP) [7-9] and as part of research supported by the NASA Lunar Science Institute [NLSI]. In addition, the ASC has developed geodetically controlled LRO MiniRF S-band monostatic radar mosaics of both lunar poles in two look directions, as well as smaller mosaics of Chandrayaan-1 Mini-SAR data [5]. Controlled mosaic for the South Pole and Malapert Massif region: As part of the LMMP effort, we used the Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS) [10] software package to create and evaluate control networks and resulting mosaics for the lunar south polar and Malapert Massif region using LROC Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images (Fig 1). We generated control networks using automatic image-toimage tie point methods and sub-pixel registration (with human oversight) along with bundle adjustment software [10]. These networks were then tied to an illuminated model of Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) data. The resulting polar mosaics were orthorectified using gridded LOLA topography, and the Malapert Massif mosaic was orthorectified using the corresponding LROC stereo derived DTM. This methodology resulted in a control network and an orthorectified product that has broad applicability and is tied to the LOLA reference frame.