Planetary Cartography Laboratory history

The first shooting side of the Moon (October 1959), as well as Earth observation from space soon after the launch of satellites led to a number of research laboratories, ushered in such areas as IPRZ & Planetary Cartography.

In MIIGAiK already in 1961 at the Department of aerial photographs was organized by the corresponding Problem Laboratory. Directed it, Boris Nikolayevich Rodionov, was in charge at the time of this department. His deputy was John L. Winter. Laboratory operated in strict secrecy. Among employees who started then, and then almost entire life devoted to this subject (this area of research), were Chesnokov, Alexander Dorofeev, Boris Dunayev, Boris V. Nepoklonov, Vladimir Kiselev, Irina Isavnina, Victor Krasikov and other professionals. The team of mostly consisted of graduates of the institute, although there were experts from the outside. For example, Yuri L. Biryukov, just graduated from Mekhmat them. MV Lomonosov Moscow State University. The main task of the laboratory was the mastery of specific processing of satellite images, their gridded.

The first major work of the laboratory in the field of planetary cartography began processing the first panoramas of the lunar surface, transmitted to Earth AMS Luna-9 in the fall of 1966, when again was first carried out a soft landing stations on the lunar surface and it became possible to see and study the microrelief of the Moon. The results of this work is reflected in the book "The first panorama of the lunar surface," published the USSR in 1967.

During this period MIIGAiK have not yet participated in the shooting side of the moon AMS Luna-3 "and" Zond-3 "(1959 and 1965) and their subsequent processing. These studies were conducted in the SAI under the guidance of JN Lipsky. (See Atlas of the side of the moon. Part I, 1961 CH.II. 1967).

However, it is then based on opto-mechanical workshops of the institute was started preparations for the creation of cameras to shoot the side of the moon and the earth by a series of stations Zond -5, -6, -7, -8. These machines were not only take pictures of parts of the back side, but also to return to Earth, bringing her film footage. In 1968, cameras were installed on the spacecraft which started towards the Moon.

This event c