Lunar Exploration History

[TheBigDog]

This thread is related to the X Prize project. It is for collecting information and links to the history of lunar exploration. There is plenty for us to learn that will help us in the future.

Lets start with this...

Google Moon

A nice interactive tour of the Apollo sites with all sorts of history to learn.

And this...

Google Image Result for http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Full_moon.png

A gorgeous detailed picture of the moon.

I am becoming a lunar junkie.

Bill

[freeztar]

Good thread idea Bill.

I have a couple questions about the moon photo you posted:
1) Are the dark areas dark because they are depressions? Or something else?
2) What are the wispy white trails emanating from the bright white spot? Is that ejecta? If so, how is it illuminated over the depression/dark area? (the area of interest is at the equator, a little bit left of center)

Very cool photo!

[freeztar]

Here are all the lunar links from the original x-prize thread, pooled together:

Luna 9:
Luna 9

Lunar module specs:
Apollo Lunar Module - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Luna Programme missions:
Luna programme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lunar laser ranging experiment:
Lunar laser ranging experiment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The smell of moondust:
NASA - Apollo Chronicles: The Smell of Moondust

"Mobile Lunar Base" Hypo thread:
mobile lunar base

Apollo TV and communications documentation:
http://history.nasa.gov/alsj/AWST690526Art.pdf

First color TV broadcast from space:
http://history.nasa.gov/alsj/AWST690526Art.pdf

The Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle:
The Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle

Rover mission analysis and design:
Rover mission analysis and design - Wikiversity

Lunar dust detector:
NSSDC Master Catalog Display: Experiment

2006 Lunar Lander Challenge:
X PRIZE Foundation: Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge 2007

Design considerations for Surveyor guidance:
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1967003873.pdf

Elastic loop mobility system:
Planetary rovers

Lunar rover navigation:
Robotics Institute: Lunar Rover Navigation

Lunar rover operations handbook:
Lunar Rover Operations Handbook


And, here's some new ones I found:

Measuring the Moon's distance:
NASA - Accuracy of Eclipse Predictions

Apollo Lunar Surface Journal:
Apollo Lunar Surface Journal

[Eclogite]

Originally Posted by freeztar

I have a couple questions about the moon photo you posted:
1) Are the dark areas dark because they are depressions? Or something else?

I hope Bill won't mind if I leap in with some quick replies.
Yes, and Yes. These are the lunar mare, Latin for sea. The medieval astronomers imagined the moon as similar to the Earth and so thought these flat, dark areas were seas. Wholly wrong of course, but it has bequeathed us such wonderful names as Mare Serenatis, the Sea of Serenity, or Oceanus Procellarum, Ocean of Storms. They are depressed areas.
They are also something else in that they were filled with flood basalts early in the moon's history. This has made their surfaces especially flat, except where disrupted by later impact by asteroid or meteor.

2. What are the wispy white trails emanating from the bright white spot? Is that ejecta?

Absolutely right. They are ejecta. As such their composition and texture is different from the lavas of the mare. This is why they are still distinctive where they cross these.

[Eclogite]

For my money there is nothing to beat Encyclopedia Astronautica, maintained by enthusiast Mark(?) Wade. It isn't the prettiest site on the web, but the information content is both superb and surprising.
It deals with every aspect of astronautics, containing a lot of information from the Russian side of the fence that is otherwise difficult to obtain, and is well supplied with data on lunar exploration.

Encyclopedia Astronautica

I've always been fascinated by the various plans to use a Gemini adaptation for the first lunar landing attempt. This could (if it had worked) have put an American on the moon a year earlier than Apollo.By Gemini to the Moon!

[freeztar]

JAXA | November 2007

New images taken in HD (and video) of earthrise over lunar surface.