Photogrammetric tie point network for improvement of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images of the lunar poles

NASA’s lunar exploration objectives, which include both robotic and human missions to the surface, require data products with high spatial resolution and accuracy. Using rigorous photogrammetric methods, we have co-aligned thousands of high-resolution images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) [Robinson et al. 2010] of the lunar north and south pole. Both data sets are tied to Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) data [Smith et al. 2010a], which realizes the mean Earth/polar axis lunar reference frame [Archinal et al., 2018, Section 3]. Here we release the photogrammetric control networks (also known as a tie point networks) used to generate improved image locations via updates to the exterior orientation of the cameras. The updated image locations were released previously [see Weller et al., 2025] in the form of updated camera state and spacecraft ephemeris data formated as NASA Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) Spacecraft, Planet, Instrument, C-matrix, Events (SPICE) kernels [Acton, 1996].

The photogrammetric control networks can be used to either validate the image locations (e.g., by re-running the bundle adjustment) or as a starting point for additional photogrammetric solutions. In this release we provide the control networks in both binary format (for use with the USGS ISIS software) and PVL (Parameter Value Language) format. We also include the list of LROC images included in the network and note that the utilization of the network in ISIS requires that identical image serial numbers are used. Bundle adjustment output is summarized in the *bundleout.txt files, which includes information on how the bundle adjustment was performed, and an overview of the image measure residuals, point uncertainty (sigma), and image exterior orientation. We also include three CSV formatted files per control network that provide additional information on the measure residuals (*residual.csv), the image orientation (*bundleout_images.csv), and points (*bundleout_points.csv). The user is encouraged to consulate the ISIS software documentation for additional information on ISIS jigsaw bundle adjustment application.

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Archinal, B. A., et al., 2018. Report of the IAU Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements: 2015. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, 130:22, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-017-9805-5.
Robinson, M. S., et al., 2010. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) instrument overview. Space Sci. Rev. 150, 81 – 124, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9634-2
Smith D. E., et al., 2010a. The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter investigation on the Lunuar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission. Space Sci. Rev. 150, 209-241, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-009-9512-y
Weller, L.A., Richie, J.O., Lee, E.M., Archinal, B.B., Bland, M.T., Bennett, K., Edmundson, K., Nefian, A.V., and Laura, J., 2025, Improved camera pointing and spacecraft ephemeris data for Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images of the lunar poles: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P1OASYRV.