2023-09-19 18:04:11
New mosaic of Shackleton crater – NASA
MADRID, 19 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Two cameras from space missions deployed in lunar orbit have been combined by NASA to reveal unprecedented details of the South Pole region of the Earth’s satellite.
This area has never been explored by humans and is of great interest to science and exploration because it is believed containing deposits of ice or other frozen volatiles.
This mosaic was created with images acquired by LROC (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera), which has been operating since 2009, and from ShadowCam, a NASA instrument aboard a KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) spacecraft called Danuri, which It was launched in August 2022.
LROC can capture detailed images of the lunar surface, but has a limited ability to photograph shadowed parts of the Moon that never receive direct sunlight, known as permanently shadowed regions. ShadowCam is 200 times more light sensitive than LROC and can operate successfully in these extremely low lighting conditions, revealing terrain features and details not visible to LROC. ShadowCam relies on sunlight reflected from lunar or Earth-based geological features to capture images in shadows, NASA reports in a statement.
However, ShadowCam’s light sensitivity prevents it from capturing images of parts of the Moon that are directly illuminated, resulting in saturated results. With each camera optimized for specific lighting conditions found near the lunar poles, analysts can combine images from both instruments to create a complete visual map of the terrain and geological features of the brightest and darkest parts of the Moon.
Permanently shadowed areas in this mosaic, such as the interior floor and walls of Shackleton Crater, are visible in great detail thanks to ShadowCam images. In contrast, the sunlit areas in this mosaic, such as the crater’s rim and flanks, are the product of images collected by LROC.
With ShadowCam, NASA can image permanently shadowed regions of the Moon in greater detail than was previously possible, giving scientists a much better view of the lunar South Pole region.
ICE LAYERS
Scientists believe that layers of ice deposits have existed on the Moon for millions or billions of years, and the ability to study samples could improve our understanding of how the Moon and our solar system evolved. Ice deposits could also serve as an important resource for exploration because they are composed of hydrogen and oxygen that can be used as fuel for rockets or life support systems.
A more complete map of the lunar South Pole region area is valuable for future NASA surface exploration efforts, such as the VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) and Artemis missions, that will return humans to the lunar surface and establish a long-term presence on the Moon.
#NASA #focuses #cameras #south #pole #Moon