Lunar Mapper (LM) is a Web-based software that allows visualization of lunar spatial data layers acquired from lunar missions and other sources. The data includes imagery, digital elevation models, resource maps, and model output. LM is accessed using standard Web browsers and uses open-source tools and libraries. The data is stored on remote servers and viewed by the LM Web client. LM allows creation of project files to save user-specific data for future retrieval and collaboration.

The objective was to make an open-source Web tool that would allow wide access to available spatial lunar data (both public and private) that would be largely independent of the hardware and software of the local computer. This would allow anywhere, anytime access to these data products for display, analysis, mission planning, and public outreach. The tool would also include basic analysis and visualization tools (measure, annotate, x–y plot) for performing planning and analysis functions.

LM uses available open-source Web authoring tools and libraries to build an interface to the spatial lunar data that would allow layering of datasets, annotating data (lines, polygons, etc.) to the view, measuring features (e.g., distance, area), creating charts and tables from the data sets, and launching models (e.g., hazard maps, lighting) from the Web interface.

This work was done by Robert Haehnel and Richard Bates of the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research & Engineering Lab for Marshall Space Flight Center. For more information, contact Ronald C. Darty, Licensing Executive in the MSFC Technology Transfer Office, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Refer to MFS-32891-1.