Low Distortion Map Projections for the Artemis III Candidate Landing Sites Active
Creation of a survey grade product to support Artemis mission operations and lunar surface science.
A common data practices gap has been identified: No federal entity produces standardized Low-Distortion-Projection (LDP) for lunar use. All geospatial information faces the grid-to-ground problem, where distance measurements on a projected map and on the ground surface differ; expressed as a map scale-error. When higher accuracy and low distortion is needed a LDP can be used. NASA’s Artemis Missions seek to reestablish human presence on the Moon and can use LDPs to conduct resource exploration or surveying. There are no known LDPs or researched LDP creation methods on other celestial bodies. This project seeks to support the Artemis Geospatial Data Team and USGS/NASA science by establishing needed geospatial data infrastructure and applying new methods of optimizing Lunar LDPs for the high-priority Artemis III candidate landing regions. We note lunar resource exploration is a USGS-expected mission set defined in the White House Cislunar Strategy.
Creation of a survey grade product to support Artemis mission operations and lunar surface science.
A common data practices gap has been identified: No federal entity produces standardized Low-Distortion-Projection (LDP) for lunar use. All geospatial information faces the grid-to-ground problem, where distance measurements on a projected map and on the ground surface differ; expressed as a map scale-error. When higher accuracy and low distortion is needed a LDP can be used. NASA’s Artemis Missions seek to reestablish human presence on the Moon and can use LDPs to conduct resource exploration or surveying. There are no known LDPs or researched LDP creation methods on other celestial bodies. This project seeks to support the Artemis Geospatial Data Team and USGS/NASA science by establishing needed geospatial data infrastructure and applying new methods of optimizing Lunar LDPs for the high-priority Artemis III candidate landing regions. We note lunar resource exploration is a USGS-expected mission set defined in the White House Cislunar Strategy.