China maps moon in 3D!

September 30, 2009
Article from: The Australian

BEIJING: China has completed a high-resolution, three-dimensional map of the entire surface of the moon, according to state media.

I meant to post this in breaking news but i kept getting error pages so i thought it would be most appropriate here.

This is amazing news! A completely mapped moon surface in 3d!

Quoting Liu Xianlin, an academic at the Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping, the report said the map would help scientists study the features of the moon's surface and deepen understanding of lunar geology and its evolution.

"It is an important stage for the later lunar landing - a selection of the landing site - and to better understand the lunar structure," he said.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...

Very interesting news and the future is looking good for a manned mission later on in the next decade.



[edit on 30/9/2009 by Mirthful Me]

Awesome.

I'm glad their starting to catch up to the US and Europe. Granted, by the time their man is on the moon, we'll have done that 50 years ago. But, as long as they keep doing space stuff, im happy. I don't care who finds the information, I just want the information.

Does anyone know if and/or where we can see this 3d map?

Cheers.

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
Does anyone know if and/or where we can see this 3d map?

Cheers.

No information on that yet, well i couldn't find anything at least. Im really hoping this goes public, maybe something viewable online, that would be amazing. Or an application.

Very exciting stuff.

reply to post by serbsta


Oh ok thanks ...

Btw, because I really know very little about space exploration, do you know how this new map might be different from this: www.newscientist.com...

Don't we already have a 3d map of the moon that functions a lot like Google Earth in which you can fly around the lunar surface?

Don't get me wrong, this is cool. But I think it has already been done.

reply to post by serbsta


I wonder if the Chinese have found the alien base there.
Maybe MJ-12 blew it up!

I hope they dont airbrush stuff out of the pictures

Nah they just use NSA-NASA pre-airbrushed photo's "It's so much cheaper!"

Originally posted by MOTT the HOOPLE
Nah they just use NSA-NASA pre-airbrushed photo's "It's so much cheaper!"

LOL i was about to say the same thing. I dont see the point in this, recreating the wheel?

Been there done that!

I was making 3D maps of the moon years ago using high-res images, topographical data and alpha-maps.

All with programs from a graphics magazine cover CD and a few free image downloads.

O.K. they may not have been as accurate and high tech as the Chinese ones.....but I did it before them.

I have Nvidia 3d Vision hardware that I use for videogames which look incredible. If only they would release a program that will allow you to view those files in true 3d...