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Image credit: CAS

China has released a set of geologic atlases of the Moon, providing high-definition map data for future lunar exploration – an aide in selecting the location for the country’s lunar research station and utilizing lunar resources.

This set of geologic atlas, available in Chinese and English, includes the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the Map Quadrangles of the Geologic Atlas of the Moon, according to the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Ouyang Ziyuan, a CAS academician and lunar scientist .
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Site selection, resource utilization

“The geological atlas of the moon is of great significance for studying the evolution of the Moon, selecting the site for a future lunar research station and utilizing lunar resources,” Ouyang Ziyuan, a CAS academician and lunar scientist told China Central Television (CCTV).

“The world has witnessed a significant progress in the field of lunar exploration and scientific research over the past decades, which have greatly improved our understanding of the Moon,” added Liu Jianzhong, a senior researcher from the Institute of Geochemistry, CAS.

Liu Jianzhong, a senior researcher from the Institute of Geochemistry, CAS.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Apollo era maps

Liu noted that the lunar geologic maps published during the Apollo era have not been changed for about half a century, and are still being used for lunar geological research.

“With the improvements of lunar geologic studies, those old maps can no longer meet the needs of future scientific research and lunar exploration,” Liu added.

According to China Daily, since 2012, Ouyang and Liu have led a team of scientists and cartographers from various research institutions in efforts to compile the atlas.

Liu said that the atlas set has been integrated into the digital lunar cloud platform built by Chinese scientists.

China’s Chang’e-6 lunar sample return mission elements.
Credit: CNSA

Far side science

Liu said that atlas set will serve lunar scientific research and science education, as well as landing site selection, lunar resource exploration and path planning for China’s future lunar exploration projects.

The soon-to-launch Chang’e-6 mission is targeted to collect samples in the Apollo Basin within the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon, which means materials ejected from ancient terrain may be collected in the process.

“Our map can provide a macroscopic geological background to improve the purpose and efficiency of the sample research,” Liu said.

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