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Author Topic:   Help reading Apollo lunar surface map
dwager
Member

Posts: 120
From: Augusta, GA
Registered: Sep 2014

posted 04-16-2023 04:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dwager   Click Here to Email dwager     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have on of those (approximately) 8x11 inch segments of Lunar Surface Exploration Maps used by Apollo crews and others. The bottom right states the section reflects "LSE II-8-17" (as well as "Scale 1:5,000").

Can somebody tell me how to find out what portion of the lunar surface this represents, and therefore possibly what mission this might reflect?

Larry McGlynn
Member

Posts: 1412
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 04-19-2023 05:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Larry McGlynn   Click Here to Email Larry McGlynn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Is the map from any particular mission?

The 1:5,000 scale LSE maps are maps that are a close up section on the landing site area. LSE stands for Lunar Surface Exploration. The rest of the information refers to the map section as it relates to a 1:25,000 scale map that has a numbered grid on it. You probably have map section #8 of a complete landing site.

Consider this map as part of a mosaic of maps that would show the complete landing site in close detail. Most of the time these maps show lots of gray and a crater or two. These maps were done so the moonwalkers could chart their way across the surface.

olympusmonsuk
Member

Posts: 27
From: Billericay, Essex, England
Registered: May 2011

posted 04-20-2023 01:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for olympusmonsuk   Click Here to Email olympusmonsuk     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I believe you have sheet 17 of the Lunar Surface Exploration (LSE) chart series that was produced for Apollo 11. Your chart is of the Lunar Orbiter site II P-8 in Sinus Medii near the landing site for Survey VI. This landing site was a backup for Apollo 11 should the launch have been delayed 48 hours.

This site was eventually known as Apollo Landing Site (ALS) 3.

Several Lunar Orbiter photographic sites were chosen for study as lunar landing sites. From these eight sites were chosen for further study and then this number was whittled down to five.

Apollo 11 landed successfully at ALS-2. ALS-3 was it's 48 hour backup, and ALS-5 in Oceanus Procellarum was it's 96 hour backup site. You have a chart which is one of probably 24 or 25 at 1:5000 scale.

dwager
Member

Posts: 120
From: Augusta, GA
Registered: Sep 2014

posted 04-20-2023 09:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dwager   Click Here to Email dwager     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This is exactly the type of info I was hoping for. Thanks to both of y'all!

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