Coordinates and Maps of the Apollo 17 Landing Site

• Published in: Earth and space science (Hoboken, N.J.) N.J.), 2019-01, Vol.6 (1), p.59-95
• Main Authors: Haase, Isabel, Wählisch, Marita, Gläser, Philipp, Oberst, Jürgen, Robinson, Mark S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apollo 17; Astronauts; Cameras; Cartography; Experiments; Geology; Hasselblad; LROC NAC DTM; Moon; planetary cartography; position determination; traverse map
• ISSN: 2333-5084; 2333-5084
• DOI: 10.1029/2018EA000408

We carried out an extensive cartographic analysis of the Apollo 17 landing site and determined and mapped positions of the astronauts, their equipment, and lunar landmarks with accuracies of better than ±1 m in most cases. To determine coordinates in a lunar body‐fixed coordinate frame, we applied least squares (2‐D) network adjustments to angular measurements made in astronaut imagery (Hasselblad frames). The measured angular networks were accurately tied to lunar landmarks provided by a 0.5 m/pixel, controlled Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) orthomosaic of the entire Taurus‐Littrow Valley. Furthermore, by applying triangulation on measurements made in Hasselblad frames providing stereo views, we were able to relate individual instruments of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) to specific features captured in LROC imagery and, also, to determine coordinates of astronaut equipment or other surface features not captured in the orbital images, for example, the deployed geophones and Explosive Packages (EPs) of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) or the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) at major sampling stops. Our results were integrated into a new LROC NAC‐based Apollo 17 Traverse Map and also used to generate a series of large‐scale maps of all nine traverse stations and of the ALSEP area. In addition, we provide crater measurements, profiles of the navigated traverse paths, and improved ranges of the sources and receivers of the active seismic experiment LSPE. Plain Language Summary We have identified the exact locations where the Apollo 17 astronauts acquired panoramic image sequences while they were on the lunar surface in December 1972. For this, we analyzed the historical (Hasselblad) astronaut images together with current high‐resolution images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), which we generated into 3‐D elevation models and geodetic maps. We used a traditional geodetic method to determine the astronauts' positions during image acquisition by measuring the directions to lunar landmarks (control points) shown in their photographs. The positioned astronaut images were then used for further image analysis. Our cartographic analysis resulted in a map of the Taurus‐Littrow valley covering the complete Apollo 17 exploration site, as well as a series of large‐scale maps for all of the major geology stops. Key Points Hasselblad surface photographs were registered to LROC NAC orthoima