Editing Lunar Orbiter program (section)

===Data recovery and digitization===
[[Image:Comparison between original and LOIRP result.jpg|thumb|A detail of an original image at the top, compared to a reprocessed version at the bottom created by [[LOIRP]].]]
In 2000, the [[Astrogeology Research Program]] of the US Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Arizona was funded by NASA (as part of the [https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/Projects/LunarOrbiterDigitization/ Lunar Orbiter Digitization Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123151046/https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/Projects/LunarOrbiterDigitization/ |date=2017-11-23 }}) to scan at 25 micrometer resolution archival LO positive film strips that were produced from the original data.<ref>L.R. Gaddis, T. Sucharski, T. Becker, and A. Gitlin, [https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2001/pdf/1892.pdf Cartographic Processing of Digital Lunar Orbiter Data], Lunar and Planetary Science XXXII (2001).</ref>  The goal was to produce a [http://www.mapaplanet.org/explorer-bin/explorer.cgi?map=Moon&layers=moon_lo&west=-180&south=-90&east=180&north=90&center=0&defaultcenter=on&grid=none&stretch=auto&projection=SIMP&advoption=NO&info=NO&resolution=2 global mosaic] of the Moon using the best available [[Lunar Orbiter]] frames (largely the same coverage as that of Bowker and Hughes, 1971).  The frames were constructed from scanned film strips; they were digitally constructed, geometrically controlled, and map-projected without the stripes that had been noticeable in the original photographic frames.  Because of its emphasis on construction of a global mosaic, this project only scanned about 15% of the available Lunar Orbiter photographic frames.  Data from Lunar Orbiter missions [[Lunar Orbiter 3|III]], [[Lunar Orbiter 4|IV]] and [[Lunar Orbiter 5|V]] were included in the global mosaic.<ref>T. Becker, L. Weller, L. Gaddis, D. Cook, B. Archinal, M. Rosiek, C. Isbell, T. Hare, R. Kirk, [https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2008/pdf/2357.pdf Lunar Orbiter Mosaic of the Moon], Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX (2008).</ref>

In addition, the USGS digitization project created frames from very high resolution Lunar Orbiter images for several 'sites of scientific interest.'  These sites had been identified in the 1960s when the Apollo landing sites were being selected.  Frames for sites such as the [[Apollo 12]] landing site, the [[Marius (crater)|Marius]] Hills, and the Sulpicius Gallus rille have been released.<ref>L. Weller, T. Becker, B. Archinal, A. Bennett, D. Cook, L. Gaddis, D. Galuszka, R. Kirk, B. Redding, D. Soltesz, [https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2007/pdf/2092.pdf USGS Lunar Orbiter Digitization Project: Updates and Status], Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVIII (2007).</ref>

In 2007, the [[Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project]] (LOIRP) began a process to convert the Lunar Orbiter Images directly from the original [[Ampex]] FR-900 analog video recordings of the spacecraft data to digital image format, a change which provided vastly improved resolution over the original images released in the 1960s.  The first of these restored images were released in late 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-111408a.html |title=Repaired data drives restoring the Moon |publisher=collectSPACE.com |date=November 14, 2008 |access-date=2008-12-24}}</ref> Almost all of the Lunar Orbiter images had been successfully recovered {{as of|February 2014}} and were undergoing digital processing before being submitted to NASA's [[Planetary Data System]].<ref>[http://www.moonviews.com/2014/02/ LOIRP Moon Views], February 2014</ref>

{{multiple image
| align = center
| image1 = First View of Earth from Moon.jpg
| width1 = 400
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = First View of Earth from Moon - reprocessed.png
| width2 = 75
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = The first image of Earth taken from the Moon. On the left the original and on the right a digitally restored version created by [[LOIRP]].
}}