Perspective view, LROC image, and DEM [NASA/GSFC/Ohio State University].

The area covered by this stereo pair shows the topography seen by the Apollo 16 astronauts, including rolling plains with many impact craters.  The 3-D DEM is colored showing elevations, ranging over about 1 km. South Ray Crater (A) in the perspective view is 750m in diameter and approximately 70m deep. The surrounding craters range from several meters in diameter to 1,200 m. The tallest mountain in the southwest corner (lower right) of the DEM is 880m above the plain. The DEM area [NAC images M102064759 and M102057602; centered at 9° S, 15.4° E] is 50km long and 7km wide. The LROC images were taken on July 12, 2009 during LRO orbit 218 near the Apollo 16 landing site. Images were processed using software developed by the Mapping and GIS Laboratory at the Ohio State University. Click on the image for a more detailed view.

Can we measure the size and shape of equipment and objects of the Apollo missions using today’s orbital images from LROC cameras? As an example to demonstrate the precise 3D measurement capability of LROC NAC stereo imagery, three objects (including the Lunar Module, ALSEP equipment, and Turtle Rock) and the astronauts’ traverse at the Apollo 14 landing site are measured and their 3D models are reconstructed. Such 3D measurements and models can be used for mission planning and space human research analysis for future landed missions [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University/The Ohio State University].

Using two high-resolution (.5 m/pixel) LROC NAC images (M114064206 and M111708164) taken from two separate orbits (1943 & 1596, respectively), we can form a stereo image pair for 3D measurements at the Apollo 14 landing site. Thanks to the high image resolution of LROC NAC cameras,  among the visible objects are the lunar module (Antares), ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package, west of Antares), a rock nicknamed Turtle Rock (north of Antares), and multiple astronaut traverse lines indicated by disturbed soils. Photogrammetric data processing methods can be used to identify the objects and measure their sizes and shapes. Such information can then be employed to reconstruct 3D models of the objects, which are displayed on the digital terrain model (DTM) of the site that is automatically generated from the same data set.  Additionally, Cone Crater is at the northeast end of the astronaut traverse.

In the zoomed image below, the lunar module can be identified by its top (red points) and the shadow (green lines). These points are identified and measured in the two stereo images and their corresponding 3D ground coordinates are computed. Note that the shadow analysis uses different times and sun angles of the two images. In addition, the nearby terrain is measured at the selected points on the ground (green points) as a reference. From these measurements, we can compute the height and diameter of the lunar module. As the result, the height of the lunar module (descent stage) is estimated as 3.0 m, compared to the design specification of 3.2 m. On the other hand, the shadow analysis resulted in a height of the lunar module of 3.2 m. Furthermore, using a least squares fitting to a circle the diameter of the lunar module is computed as 4.4 m, compared to the design data of 4.2 m.

ALSEP and Turtle Rock are relatively small in the vertical direction. The LROC NAC image resolution and the imaging geometry would not be able to resolve for the height that is less than 1 m. However, we can measure their horizontal dimensions: 2 m x 1 m for ALSEP (yellow points), and 1.5 m x 1 m for Turtle Rock (green points).

Based on the above 3D photogrammetric measurements and the additional information from the design specifications, we created 3D models of the selected objects of the landing site in the AutoCAD system. We then imported these 3D object models into ArcGIS to combine the 3D models with the DTM of the landing site. Generally, a CAD package for 3-D modeling (e.g., AutoCAD or Google Sketchup) and a GIS package (e.g., Autodesk 3D Map or ArchGIS) can be employed for the visualization purpose in this case.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8271733.stm

PRoVisG contributed to this year's Arctic Mars Analogue Svalbard Expedition (AMASE) 2009 in the Svalbard archipelago. Within an international team consisting of representatives from Agencies (ESA, NASA-JPL) and space Instrumens teams (e.g. ExoMars PanCam), on-site 3D Vision processing abilities were demonstrated, and a huge amount of representative test data was acquired.

PRoVisG Team member Arnold Bauer: "Our AMASE contribution was generally successful for PRoVisG and also the ExoMars PanCam Team. Great progress since 2008 was recognized. PanCam had a Team of 3 people, coming with quite different scope, well complementing one another. A large data set, extremely useful for PRoVisG, was collected, and large part of it was already on-site processed.

The target of the expedition from our understanding (to bring together space community and launch discussions and joint projects / undertakings during the expedition and in future) was fulfilled."

For more information click here.

On May 8 in the morning the PRoVisG Co-ordinator will participate in a one hour press briefing by presenting the ProViSG project. This press programme, attended by key science journalists from all EU Member States, represents a unique opportunity to raise the visibility of our FP7-SPACE project with European media and the wider public, showcase our successes, and highlight our outstanding work.

Introduction

• Mr Reinhard SCHULTE-BRAUCKS, Head of Unit, Space Research and Development, European Commission, European Union

What do we do?

• Mr Guy GADIOT, Expert Project Evaluator, Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes, The Netherlands

• Mr Gerhard PAAR, PRoVIsG Project Coordinator, Joanneum Research, Austria

• Dr Daniele PAVARIN, HPH.com Project Coordinator, CISAS, Italy

• Mr Martin TAJMAR, Expert Project Evaluator, Austrian Research Centre, Austria

• Moderator: Mr Marius-Ioan PISO, CEO, Romanian Space Agency, Romania

Where do we go?

• Mr Gerhard HAERENDEL, SAG Member, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Germany

• Mr Jan KOLAR, Managing Director, Czech Space Office, Czech Republic

• Mr Alberto TOBIAS, Head of Systems, Softwhere and Technology Department, ESA, France

• Mr Jean-Jacques TORTORA, Secretary-General, Eurospace, France

• Moderator: Mr Paul WEISSENBERG, Director, European Commission, European Union

Objective of the session

The Space session provides for insights into EU Space Research activities today and in the future. It is divided into two sub-sessions, titled "What do we do?" and "Where do we go?"

The first session, "What do we do?" provides for an opportunity to learn about success stories from projects, share insights on how to draft good proposals, and learn more about how such proposals are evaluated.

The second session, "Where do we go?" looks ahead towards a new vision for European Space Research and Development efforts in the areas of Space Science and Exploration.

Within each session, 20 minutes are foreseen for interaction with conference participants.

Click here to get the Agenda