Cross‐Referencing Astronaut‐Observed Lunar Impact Flashes With Seismic Data—Lessons From Apollo for Artemis

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Abstract
During their orbits of the Moon in 1972, Apollo astronauts reported three impact flashes, associated with meteoroids striking the surface and vaporizing. We examined data from the Apollo seismic network to investigate whether these flashes produced detectable moonquakes whose locations and timing could be independently validated. No candidate matches were found, though stream modeling indicates a high probability that both Apollo 17 impacts were Geminids from parent body 3200 Phaethon. Our analysis pipeline is likely instructive for coordinating observations made by future Artemis astronauts from orbit with seismic data from upcoming geophysical missions to the lunar surface.
Funding Information
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory (LA‐UR‐26‐26346)

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