Lunar Interior & Gravity Explorer
Switch between major interior layers and gravity structures to see what scientists infer, what kind of evidence supports the inference, and which missions supplied that evidence.
Why gravity anomalies matter to spacecraft
A simple two-body orbit assumes the Moon behaves like a point mass or perfectly symmetric body. Real lunar gravity is uneven. Mascons associated with large basins can shift an orbiter's periapsis over time, which is why real mission navigation uses detailed gravity-field models.
Why no single measurement is enough
Seismic waves probe material properties along specific paths. Gravity responds to mass distribution but cannot identify composition by itself. Samples provide chemistry at known locations but do not directly reveal global interior structure. Lunar geophysics becomes stronger when these independent constraints support the same model.