LPI Unveils New Additions to Lunar Science and Exploration Website
March 17, 2009
This week the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is releasing several new features that will enhance its Lunar Science and Exploration information portal. This web-based system is designed to provide access to everything “lunar” from the earliest Apollo-era documents to the most recent lunar research reports. The system is a useful tool for scientists and engineers involved in lunar exploration and also provides an entry point for curious students and the general public who want to become involved in our return to the Moon.
This week’s new features include:
(1) The Digital Atlas of Lunar Surface Flyovers, which provides a spectacular view of the lunar surface and provides a new tool for scientists to study the geology of the lunar surface. It also provides a new tool for mission planners who need to select landing sites and design robotic and crew traverses. The atlas is being initiated with three flyovers and will grow as new missions provide additional data.
(2) The Lunar Impact Crater Database, which is a GIS-compatible database with nearly 9000 lunar impact craters. Information about the size and location of each crater is integrated with calculations of impact-related physical parameters and, when available, the age of the crater. This database of real lunar craters complements our existing Lunar Impact Cratering tool, which provides students an opportunity to create their own lunar impact craters.
(3) Lunar (and Planetary) Science Conference Abstracts. Online versions of the abstracts published between 1971 and 1996 (the famous yellow tomes) are now available, which doubles the number of abstracts available and brings the total to nearly 50,000 two- and three-page papers.
(4) The Database of Lunar Spacecraft Instruments, which provides a list of lunar instruments and a search engine that can be used to sort specific types of instruments and their measurement capabilities. This site augments our existing website with Lunar Mission Summaries.
Also available are dozens of additions to the catalog of electronically available Apollo-era documents and subsequent lunar-related science and exploration reports.
In parallel with this initiative, LPI has also generated an education and public outreach site, Connect to the Moon, that is designed to provide one-stop access to a broad range of lunar-related E/PO products. The site provides material for classroom teachers, students of all ages, inquisitive families, and informal educators. If you are looking for an educational activity, Connect to the Moon is a great place to begin.
We invite you to visit the updated lunar website and continue to access it as the content grows and the lunar exploration initiative moves forward.
Last updated March 17, 2009
