LRO looks at Apollo 11 landing site
LROC’s second look at the Apollo 11 landing site. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University
A month after LROC’s first image of the Apollo 11 landing site was acquired, LRO passed over again providing the LROC instrument a new view of the historic site. This time the Sun was 28 degrees higher in the sky, making for smaller shadows and bringing out subtle brightness differences on the surface. The look and feel of the site has changed dramatically.
Enlargement showing Tranquility Base. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University
The astronaut path to the TV camera is visible, and you may even be able to see the camera stand (arrow). You can identify two parts of the Early Apollo Science Experiments Package (EASEP), the Lunar Ranging Retro Reflector (LRRR) and the Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE). Neil Armstrong’s tracks to Little West crater (33 meter diameter) are also visible (unlabeled arrow). His quick jaunt provided scientists with their first view into a lunar crater.
Apollo 11 PSE in the foreground with LRRR just behind it, and the TV camera on the horizon beyond the American flag [Credit: NASA Photo AS11-40-5948].
Posted by: Soderman/NLSI Staff
Source: NASA; http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/news/index.php?/archives/101-Apollo-11-Second-look.html#extended
