New Mission Infographic Summarizes Data to be Collected by Lunar Trailblazer
23 June 2023
Lunar Trailblazer's mission to understand the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon,
as well as the lunar water cycle, is no easy feat. To achieve its objectives, Lunar
Trailblazer scientists utilize co-collected datasets from both its
instruments, the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3)
and the Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM). To assist in the communication of the big ideas of how Lunar
Trailblazer’s measurements will lead to lunar science data, Lunar Trailblazer intern and Pasadena City College student Filo Merid took on the
ambitious task of creating a summary infographic of the Lunar Trailblazer mission.
Capturing these ideas in a single infographic is no simple matter. “The level of information available was immense,” comments Merid. In addition
to determining what content should be included in the graphic, Merid had to consider how it should be portrayed, as well as the hierarchy and
flow of information. “Each design element has countless options to choose from, each with its own impact on the final product.”
A big challenge for Merid was deciding how to depict mineralogy and water maps on the Moon for data that does not yet exist. With guidance from
Lunar Trailblazer principal investigator Bethany Ehlmann and other members of the Trailblazer team, Merid perused scientific literature to
understand where certain forms of water and mineralogy might be found. “I felt that accuracy and precision are critical to communicating the
right message,” explains Merid.
Merid’s graphic takes this information and presents it in a digestible and understandable manner. “I am proud to have played a role promoting
the mission and hope to continue exploring the powerful intersection of science and design.”
In this special feature, Merid breaks down his development of the Lunar Trailblazer mission infographic
By Jasper Miura
Jasper Miura is a Research Technician Associate and Lunar Trailblazer Science Manager at Caltech.