Space exploration may get a little easier for future astronauts headed to the moon. They now have a road map of the entire lunar surface.
Researchers and scientists from the United States Geological Survey, NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute recently completed a geologic map of the moon.
The “Unified Geologic Map of the Moon” is a “definitive blueprint of the moon's surface geology,” according to USGS.
"People have always been fascinated by the moon and when we might return," USGS director and former NASA astronaut Jim Reilly said in a statement. "So, it's wonderful to see USGS create a resource that can help NASA with their planning for future missions.”
The map can help researchers and space fans understand the moon’s 4.5-billion-year history, USGS officials said in a statement.
The digital map, which is available for download, shows the moon's geologic landscape at a scale of 1:5,000,000.
The map was created using six regional maps made during the Apollo era, in combination with information collected during recent lunar missions. The older maps were overlaid on the newer, higher resolution datasets.
The new information helped resolve inconsistencies in older maps, scientists said. USGS said it is the first time the entire lunar surface has been mapped and uniformly classified.
"This map is a culmination of a decades-long project," Corey Fortezzo, USGS geologist and lead developer of the map, said in a statement. "It provides vital information for new scientific studies by connecting the exploration of specific sites on the moon with the rest of the lunar surface.”