One of the first images taken by LRO's Narrow Angle Camera. Visible are two general types of impact craters—solitary craters which most likely represent single impacts, and chains of small, fresh craters produced by the impact of lunar rock thrown out by a larger impact.
First new images from the Moon
4 Jul 2009
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) has taken and received its first images of the Moon, kicking off the year-long mapping mission of Earth's nearest celestial neighbour.
The LROC imaging system, under the watchful eyes of Arizona State University professor Mark Robison, the principal investigator, consists of three systems.
The first are Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to provide high-resolution black-and-white images. The second is a Wide Angle Camera (WAC) to provide images in seven colour bands over a 60-kilometre-wide swath. And the third is a Sequence and Compressor System (SCS) supporting data acquisition for both cameras.
NASA reports that the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which launched June 18, is performing exceptionally well and spacecraft check-out is proceeding smoothly.
Much to the delight of the LROC team, a few of the first images have captured dramatic views of the surface.
"Our first images were taken along the Moon's terminator—the dividing line between day and night—making us initially unsure of how they would turn out," says Robinson.
"Because of the deep shadowing, subtle topography is exaggerated suggesting a craggy and inhospitable surface," he added. "In reality, the area is similar to the region where the Apollo 16 astronauts comfortably explored in 1972."
"Though these images are magnificent in their own right, the main message is that LROC is nearly ready to begin its mission."
The narrow view
LRO was 70 kilometres above the lunar surface when the image above was taken. Features as small as three metres wide can be discerned.
Another image from LRO's Narrow Angle Camera. Visible are distinctive lengthened formations, which are probably the scars from rock flung out from a nearby impact.
The image shows a starkly beautiful region a few kilometres east of Hell E crater, which is located on the floor of the ancient Imbrian-aged Deslandres impact structure in the lunar highlands south of Mare Nubium.
Numerous small, secondary craters can be identified, including several small crater chains.
Also identifiable are distinctive streaks made readily apparent by the extreme lighting, representing the blast of debris from a nearby impact.
The quality of these early engineering test images gives the LROC science team confidence it can achieve its primary goals, including obtaining the data needed to support future human lunar exploration and utilisation.
Once LRO finishes commissioning operations and enters its 50km x 50km mapping orbit, a manoeuvre currently scheduled for mid-August, the Narrow Angle Cameras will take images of over eight percent of the Moon at a detail level of 50cm per pixel.
The wider view
The LROC Wide Angle Camera (WAC) represents a very different type of imaging system to the NAC. The WAC sees the surface in seven colours, one after the other. During processing, these seven colour images are pulled apart and single images are created that can be combined in various ways for scientific analysis.
The WAC is designed to help place the super-high-resolution NAC images into their proper geologic context, as well as to help geologists map rock types and identify resources.
LRO will spend the next year gathering crucial data on the lunar environment that will help astronauts prepare for exploring the Moon and eventually leaving the Earth-Moon system for voyages to Mars and beyond.
Adapted from information issued by Arizona State University / NASA / GSFC.
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