Hi! I’m Noah Petro, the Project Scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter -
a spacecraft has been orbiting the Moon for over a decade,
paving the way for humans to return to the surface.
As a scientist, I get excited about the amount of data
that we’ve been able to collect on the Moon.
We now know more about its geological history,
its chemistry and topography, than ever before.
But to me, the data also shows something beyond the science we've investigated:
its beauty.
The visulizations you're about to see not only hold important scientific value,
but artistic value as well.
These moonscapes have a fascinating story to tell, and I hope it’s one that you enjoy
[Music]
The Moon is our nearest neighbor. Our nightlight. It’s also our memory.
While wind, water, and molten rock erase Earth’s deep history,
the Moon remembers everything that has happened in the last four and a half billion years.
The impact that formed the Orientale basin provides a window to understanding
how similar large events on other planets and moons have shaped their landscapes.
The discovery of water on the sunlit surface of Clavius crater
not only unlocks new possibilities for future lunar exploration,
but also our understanding of where the ingredients of life could exist in our vast universe.
The steep trenches and cracked surface of Komarov crater on the farside
tell a story of the ancient volcanic activity from the Moon’s interior,
revealing the history of geological forces carving the lunar terrain through time.
Traversing the landscape we can see a beautiful tapestry of ridges, valleys and mountains –
best encapsulated by the view of Tycho crater.
The summit of its central peak stands nearly 3 miles above the crater floor.
A visual metaphor for the steep challenges but exciting rewards
that await us on the Moon and beyond.
And on the lunar horizon, the most consequential view of all –
our home.
To study the Moon is to study ourselves –
our past, our present, and our future.
Each new discovery bringing us from darkness into light.
The gravitational forces between the Earth and Moon
make our very existence possible,
creating one of the most special relationships throughout time and space.