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Clementine Maps the Moon

Clementine Maps the Moon
Clementine Maps the Moon The Moon has long been a proving ground for spacecraft from its nearby planet. The latest to visit was Clementine, the "smaller, cheaper, faster" mission launched by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. Clementine completely mapped the surface of the Moon, and this mosaic was made from the data collected of the Aristarchus plateau. Named for the large, bright Aristarchus crater, the plateau was probably uplifted, tilted and fractured by the giant impact that formed the Imbrium basin. Data like these from Clementine are helping fill out scientists' understanding of the Moon's history. Image: Naval Research Laboratory. Processing: USGS Flagstaff