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About

K. J. Becker is a planetary scientist whose career has been defined by pioneering work in lunar radiometry and photogrammetry. As a key figure at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Astrogeology Science Center, Becker’s most significant contribution is the development of the RObotic Lunar Observatory (ROLO) project. This work produced the first radiometric models of the Moon for both disk-integrated irradiance and spatially resolved radiance, a breakthrough that enables the Moon to be used as a stable, on-orbit calibration target for Earth-orbiting spacecraft. Becker’s foundational paper on real-time control of the ROLO telescope (25 citations) and the subsequent modeling of lunar radiance (13 citations) remain essential references for calibration science. More recently, Becker has turned to the archival treasures of the Apollo era, leading efforts to reprocess and extract new scientific value from the Metric and Panoramic Camera images from Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17. By applying modern photogrammetric techniques to these historic oblique images, Becker is helping to create updated, high-resolution topographic maps of the lunar surface. This blend of innovative calibration science and careful stewardship of legacy data highlights a career dedicated to making the Moon a more precise and accessible tool for the entire planetary science community.