Rimae Prinz

The topography is reminiscent of the Apollo 15 landing site where there is a rille bound by nearby massifs. Rilles provide information on lava flow processes that created the lunar maria and provide an opportunity to collect samples from exposed bedrock. The massifs at this site are related to the Imbrium impact basin and have a different lithology from the surrounding mare units based on multi-spectral data. The regolith contains pyroclastic deposits from volcanic eruptions that could be used for in situ resource utilization (ISRU) by future crews. The use of local resources not only reduces the cost of exploration, but also enables explorers to increase their stay time on the surface and make even more discoveries.

Credit: NASA/Arizona State University