Lunar archive panoramas: modern image processing and access to the historic data based on spatial context

Abstract

The objectives of our work are to fully exploit the historic Soviet Lunokhod data and use the results for scientific and public purposes. Unfortunately, many of the relevant operational parameters of the Lunokhods missions are lost. Modern photogrammetry is a key to solving these issues, providing analysis techniques, not available at the time of the early lunar missions. For this purpose we use special developed software, GIS tools and high-resolution LRO data. Results of new image processing of historic data are part of PRoViDE project (Planetary Robotics Vision Data Exploitation) which aims to assemble a major portion of the imaging data gathered from different vehicles and probes on planetary surfaces into a unique database, bringing them into a spatial context and providing access to a complete set of 3D vision products (http://www.provide-space.eu/). Our technology of archive panorama processing allows us to recover lost information of Soviet lunar missions and study lunar landing site imagery by state-of-the-art photogrammetric techniques. Our main task is to perform lunar panoramas in measurement form based on photogrammetry and geoanalyses methods, and then involve them in more detailed morphometric analyses and 3D-modeling of lunar surface based on LROC NAC image processing. The results of our work are various types of new products: panoramas in different projections, updated metadata with recovering parameters, and ortho-panoramas, which can be used for quantitative geomorphology assessment based on spatial tools. All data products obtained as a result of the study are to be placed into Planetary data storage which is developing as Geodesy and Cartography Node. Access to archive lunar data will be organized via Geo-portal (http://cartsrv.mexlab.ru/geoportal/) using authorization service, which provided data security and user control. Planetary spatial information system can integrate various types of data for planets and their satellites, and it can be used for geodesy and cartography support of future missions. Our technological solutions are open-source, which makes it possible to increase the functionality of the system