UTEP professor working with NASA on lunar mapping

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Dr. Jose Hurtado is continuing UTEP's history working with NASA as they prepare for multiple landings on the moon over the next decade.

"The whole idea is to produce, innovative maps of the lunar south pole.," said Hurtado. "Looking at it through the lens of not just geology, but things like hazards, where the craters are all the sort of things that in the future will be interesting to NASA to consider for things like selecting landing sites or for characterizing regions where robots might go."

Hurtado has been working with NASA for over 15 years, originally starting as a trainer for astronauts as they learn geology. Now, he's helping them research important parts of the moon and helping those astronauts prepare for lunar landings.

"It's approaches to mapping, like what we're demonstrating in this project that we're going to build upon, to make the maps at a much greater detail that'll help plan those missions."

ABC-7 will have the full story with Dr. Hurtado tonight on ABC-7 at 10.