Library of Congress Holds Crucial 1962 Lunar Map for Apollo Program

The U.S. Library of Congress preserves a vital 1962 lunar map that was instrumental in the Apollo program's successful moon landing, fulfilling President John F. Kennedy's 1961 commitment to reach the moon within a decade.

Created by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center, then the nation’s premier mapping agency for defense, the "USAF Lunar Wall Mosaic: Lunar Equatorial Mosaic" utilized manual photogrammetric methods applied to telescopic photographs. This process allowed experts to correct distortions and produce consistent, accurate maps of the moon's rugged topography.

The large-format map provided a foundational understanding of the lunar surface for various agencies and staffs, guiding early decision-making within the Apollo program. Notably, the map clearly shows Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility), the precise location where the Apollo 11 crew made their historic landing in 1969.