Moon Mineralogy Mapper--NASA’s one of the two instruments onboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft


The above image of the Earth was taken from 200 kilometers (124 miles) above the lunar surface was taken by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper, one of two NASA instruments onboard the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. Australia is keenly visible in the lower middle of the image.

This image is presented as a false-color composite with oceans a dark blue, clouds white, and vegetation an enhanced green. This image data were acquired on 22nd July, 2009.

The Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument is a state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer designed to provide the first map of the entire lunar surface at a high spatial and spectral resolution. Scientists will use this information to be answered about the questions like moon's origin and development and the evolution of terrestrial planets in the early solar system. Future astronauts will use this to locate the resources, possibly including water that can support the exploration of the moon and beyond it.

The Moon Mineralogy Mapper was preferred as a Mission of Opportunity through the NASA Discovery Program. Carle Pieters of Brown University, Providence, R.I., is the principal of the investigator and has oversight of the instrument as complete, as well as the Moon Mineralogy Mapper Science Team.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, had designed and built the Moon Mineralogy Mapper and is home to its project manager, Mary White. JPL controls the program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft was constructed, launched, and is controlled by the Indian Space Research Organization.

For further more information please visit Chandrayaan-1

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