Old Data: New Science
Student Project: New Lunar Crater Search Using LROC-NAC Vs LOIRP Lunar Orbiter Images
“Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project (LOIRP) is in possession of 1,478 2″ original analog tapes from 3 Deep Space Network ground stations. We have taken hundreds of those analog tapes and converted them to digital form; with the majority of them being from Lunar Orbiter II which took images with .8 to 1 meter resolution. With them in digital form we are able to assemble the framelets in high quality and overlay them with Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Narrow Angle Camera (LROC_NAC), which has a similar resolution of .5 to 1 meter. The overlays enable us to compare the two images looking for change, specifically new craters.”
Analysis of Lunar Orbiter Images Recovered From Analog Tape
“Further funding is being sought for this effort. The improvement in dynamic range and image reproduction fully justifies the effort and the resulting images are fully comparable with the LROC NAC image set coming from LRO. Our long range plan is that the LOIRP raw processed data would become the base layer for a future fully interactive Google Moon type scientific visualization system for layers of lunar remote sensing information.”
Analyzing Old NASA Apollo Seismometer Data Reveals That The Moon Has An Earth-Like Core
“The researchers used extensive data gathered during the Apollo-era moon missions. The Apollo Passive Seismic Experiment consisted of four seismometers deployed between 1969 and 1972, which recorded continuous lunar seismic activity until late-1977.”