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Mapping and GIS Laboratory
Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Geodetic Science
  College of Engineering, The Ohio State University

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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Successfully Launches on June 18LRO launch

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center on June 18 at 5:32 pm. LRO successfully separated from the Centaur spacecraft and is on the way to the moon. It will take approximately 4 days to arrive and go into orbit. LRO will spend at least one year in low polar orbit around the Moon.

The LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Rover) instrument and data will keep Dr. Ron Li and his lunar mapping team busy for the next 3 years.  Please see the LRO website for additional information   http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/launch/index.html   or the LRO twitter at   http://twitter.com/LRO_NASA.



OSU scientist hopes rover can be a free Spirit
The GIS & Mapping Lab is working hard to help free the Spirit rover, now "mobility-impeded", or stuck, on the Martian surface. Using Spirit's cameras, scientists including Dr. Li have been analyzing photographs of the soil in an effort to determine its composition. Dr. Ron Li is quoted in the Columbus Dispatch of Saturday, June 6, 2009. Read the entire article here.

Dr. Ron Li and the Lab' Mars and Lunar Research Featured on WOSU's iMix Program

Dr. Ron Li and members of the Mapping & GIS Lab were recently featured in two programs on WOSU's iMix program. Hosted by Chris Forbes, May's episode will explore the relationship between The Ohio State University and NASA. WOSU produces iMix for Ohio State to air on the Big Ten Network and to air on WOSU TV. iMix (Interactive Mixed Media)  is produced by WOSU Public Media, and licensed by The Ohio State University.

Mapping Mars   Professor Ron Li and his team at the Mapping and GIS Laboratory at the Ohio State University have developed software that enables NASA's Mars rovers to navigate the surface of Mars. By providing near real time maps to NASA, mission scientists are able to plan out the most efficient movement paths for the robots. Airdate: Wednesday, May 13, 2009. See the clip at:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho0_QrFBMpY

Lunar GPS   The work on the Mars Rover project has led to other exciting research opportunities for Professor Ron Li and his colleagues. From mapping software to developing a GPS-like system to be used by astronauts on the moon, the relationship with NASA continues to grow. Airdate: Monday, May 11th, 2009.  See the clip at:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXd_DP0qVc


Latest Mars Traverse Maps
The latest traverse maps for the Mars rovers: Spirit (as of Sol 1923) and Opportunity (as of Sol 1902). Full size maps can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate image below. For additional OSU maps of mars, go here.
 Spirit Traverse Opportunity Traverse

Van, Aircraft and satellite
World
The Mapping and GIS Lab at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science
conducts research and development in the following areas:

1. Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry
2. Mobile Mapping Technology, Pattern Recognition and Neuron Computing
3. GIS / LIS applications

We are located in the

Mapping and GIS Lab

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science

The Ohio State University

470 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Avenue

Columbus, OH 43210-1275

Tel. (614) 292-4303

Fax. (614) 292-2957






This web page was last updated June 2009. Comments should be sent to  Dr. Ron Li  at  li.282 at osu.edu