moonsprovided

Moonsprovided is a collaborative data initiative and catalog that focuses on lunar data resources. The term denotes data packages and services in which moon-related observations, imagery, maps, and derived products are provided to researchers, educators, and the public by participating organizations.

Origin and scope: The project arose from the need to standardize lunar data sharing across missions and programs. It operates as a community-driven platform with a governance model that rotates among contributing institutions. Data are organized around a common schema, with references to mission metadata, collection dates, coordinate systems, and licensing. The platform often aligns with established planetary data standards such as PDS4 to ensure interoperability.

Data types and examples: Available datasets include high-resolution lunar surface imagery, topographic maps, shadow measurements, selenographic coordinates, mineralogical classifications from spectrometric data, gravity models, and published mission reports. New contributions are curated and validated by moderators before ingestion.

Access and use: Moonsprovided offers an online portal and an API that supports search, filtering, and data retrieval. Most content is open access under permissive licenses with attribution requirements. Users are encouraged to cite the original data providers.

Impact and usage: The initiative has supported cross-mission research, education, and planning for lunar missions. By providing interoperable data packages, it aims to accelerate analysis, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and public engagement with lunar science.