Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Data

As data are collected from Earth and surrounding bodies in the Solar System, we like to do all we can to make them easily accessible and useable for the needs of our science partners, science community, and for the public.

Filter Total Items: 58

Geologic maps of the Apennine-Hadley region of the Moon Apollo 15 pre-mission maps

This map shows the regional setting of the landing site for the Apollo 15 mission. The area lies approximately 650 km southeast of the center of the Imbrium basin, a large basalt-filled multi-ringed structure in the northwest quadrant of the Moon’s near side. Several arcuate structures surround the Imbrium basin (Hartmann and Kuiper, 1962). The most prominent of these forms the northwest-facing sc

Geologic maps of the Descartes region of the Moon Apollo 16 pre-mission maps

The evolution of the Moon’s surface shows three successive stages (Hartmann, 1970). The earliest, from the beginning of the decipherable record to the Imbrian Period, was dominated by frequent large-scale impacts which produced overlapping and interfering craters and giant multi-ringed basin with ejecta blankets. The second stage, extending through most of the Imbrian to early Eratosthenian Period

Geologic maps of the Taurus-Littrow region of the Moon Apollo 17 pre-mission maps

The Taurus-Littrow region is mainly a highland area at the juncture of Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquillitatis (Scott and Pohn, 1972). Highland materials cover most of the area, forming a group or rugged massifs close to the center of the map and more subdued terrain to the east. The highland units (pItm, IpIh) are probably mostly breccias formed by the Serenitatis impact and pre-existing brecci

Technical Letter: Astrogeology-8 Apollo Extension Systems Field Test I

A field test held in the Hopi Buttes, Arizona, was planned to test geological, geophysical, and analytical operations and instruments that are of potential use in Apollo Extension Systems lunar surface missions. The test was conducted under "shirt-sleeve" conditions, but potentially useful methods of recording and compiling information during lunar exploration were employed. The test showed that b

Technical Letter: Astrogeology-3 Preliminary Scientific Mission Profiles For The First Seven Apollo Missions

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration plans to land two astronauts on the Moon as a part of the Apollo Space Program. The questions arise: What should the astronauts do on the surface and what information should they gather? This report proposes answers to these questions by describing a possible series of scientific activities, or mission profiles, to be performed by the astronauts o

Schedule and Outline of Courses in Geology Astronaut Training Program

Outline and schedule of geology training courses provided by the USGS Astronaut training program. Training topics include, but are not limited to, lunar and terrestrial geology, the rock cycle, impact processes, rock and mineral identification, lunar and terrestrial geophysics, and geologic mapping. This outline is dated January 8, 1964.

Manned Lunar Exploration Investigations Plan Of Research, And Work Plan And Operating Budget. Fiscal Years 1965-1966

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, working with members of the scientific community, has determined that early manned lunar exploration will be oriented primarily to investigations in the geosciences. Exploration by man on the lunar surface will, therefore be geological, geophysical, geochemical, geochemical, and surveying in nature, and will be directed to the physical and chemica

Geologic Log of Drill Hole: Project Cinder Lake

Drill Core Log of Cinder Lake (in Yavapai county) Collected September 10-17, 1968.

Memorandum: Cinder Lake Crater Field Seismic Profiles

Enclosed are the seismic profiles and a plan of the seismic lines at the new Cinder Lake Crater Field in Yavapai county. Along the East-West line the upper layer is made up of 3.5 feet of cinders on the top and then becoming mixed with clay t o a depth of 7.5 to 11.0 feet below the surface. Beneath this is a 10 to 20 foot thick layer of denser cinders or some other unconsolidated material. The thi

Technical Letter: Astrogeology-12, Time and Motions Required to Perform an Active Seismic Experiment Proposed for the First Apollo Landing

At the suggestion of the Planetology Subcommittee of the Space Sciences Steering Committee, an active engineering seismic experiment originally proposed by J. S. Watkins, J. Cl. De Bremaecker, and M. F. Kane was incorporated into the Early Apollo Active Seismic Experiment originally proposed by R. L. Kovach . J. S. Watkins was made co-experimenter for the Early Apollo Active Seismic Experiment wit

Apollo Science Program, Mission Profile Study

Details of field exercises to assess the readiness of astronauts to perform geologic investigations on the lunar surface. They include landscape description, geologic mapping, mobile traverse descriptions, impact crater description, depression description, and detailed mapping.

Technical Letter: Astrogeology-11 Apollo Applications Program Investigations Field Test 3

Apollo Applications Program (AAP) Test 3 was held in Flagstaff, Arizona, as an initial feasibility study of rock thin-section preparation and remote television monitoring of the microscopic image, for possible use on AAP missions. During the 18 hours of actual test operations 38 thin sections were prepared. Of these, 25 were examined with a petrographic microscope with a television link to the Co