The lunar reconnaissance orbiter (LRO) spacecraft onboard the lunar orbiter laser altimeter (lola), is a critical experiment that is providing a global lunar geodetic network and altimetry,…

This federal contract award, with a ceiling value of $1,050,000.00, was granted to Brown University, a prestigious private Ivy League research institution, by the Shared Services Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The contract is for research and development related to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft and its Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) experiment, which is providing critical global lunar geodetic data and measurements to support safe and scientifically productive human and robotic exploration of the Moon. The contract involves data acquisition, verification, validation, and delivery to NASA and the international scientific community, as well as the demonstration of the usefulness of the LOLA data through various validation projects. The contract is not set aside for any specific business type, indicating Brown University's competitive capabilities in this research domain. The contract work is expected to be completed by November 30, 2025.

The lunar reconnaissance orbiter (LRO) spacecraft onboard the lunar orbiter laser altimeter (lola), is a critical experiment that is providing a global lunar geodetic network and altimetry, roughness and reflectivity measurements that are revolutionizing these fields and enhancing the characterization of the lunar surface in a manner that is absolutely essential for ensuring safe and scientifically productive lunar and planetary human and robotic exploration in the coming commercial and NASA programs. Acquisition, verification, validation, delivery of data to NASA engineers and scientists and the international scientific community, and demonstration of the usefulness of these data in lola validation projects is essential to the current and future success of NASA. Here we outline a series of tasks and validation projects that are designed to complement other activities of the lunar orbiter laser altimeter (lola) team, and to fulfill the general requirements for participation as a lunar orbiter laser altimeter (lola) experiment CO- investigator. We outline the themes and topics for lola data acquisition, documentation and validation and describe a set of expected accomplishments and deliverables in a manner similar to previous participation in this and similar experiments (e.g., smith ET AL., 1998, 1999, 2001, 2010; kreslavsky and head, 1999, 2000; zuber ET AL, 1998, 2000). A validation project is defined as a specific task that demonstrates to the engineering and scientific community the usefulness and capabilities of the data as applied to a particular fundamental problem (e.g., past and present landing site characterization techniques for application to the moon, asteroids, mars; topographic characterization of landforms, such as craters, to assist in the design of future altimeters and related instrumentation; slope and roughness characterization for future lunar and planetary resource utilization; mechanisms for the documentation and detection of volatiles in permanently shadowed areas) (e.g., fassett ET AL., 2011A, b, 2012A, b; baker ET AL., 2011A, b, 2012; head ET AL., 2010; hurwitz ET AL., 2012, 2013; jozwiak ET AL., 2012; kadish ET AL, 2011; vaughan ET AL., 2013, kreslavsky ET AL., 2012, 2013; zuber ET AL., 2012). Validation project deliverables take the form of 1) papers published in the scientific literature, and 2) data placed in the planetary data system and on internet archives (e.g.,http://WWW.planetary.brown.EDU/html_pages/data.HTM). Below we outline these specific tasks, describe a series of validation projects and present a work plan for their timely execution.