China Completes Unprecedented Geological Map of the Moon

- More than 13,000 impact craters and 81 lunar basins documented to support future exploration missions

China has released a new high-resolution geological map of the Moon, documenting its terrain, rock formations, and widespread craters, in a move aimed at supporting future lunar exploration projects, according to Xinhua.

The Geological Institute of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences completed the map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. Measuring 280 centimeters in length and approximately 120 centimeters in width, the map includes data specific to the Moon’s northern and southern polar regions.

The map precisely identifies more than 13,000 impact craters and 81 lunar basins, along with classifying 14 types of geological formations and 17 types of rocks.

Xinhua noted that the map’s preparation was based on research conducted under China’s lunar program, which included revising the Moon’s geological timeline and updating the list of lunar minerals, thereby contributing to improved standards for classifying rocks and geological materials on its surface.

Yang Chi Ming, director of the institute, stated that the map provides a crucial scientific foundation for future projects, including the establishment of a lunar research station and the selection of spacecraft landing sites, and represents a new contribution to the study of the solar system’s evolution.