The Realization of ICA Commission Projects on Planetary Cartography

Abstract

The International Cartographic Association (ICA) Commission on Planetary Cartography was officially established on the basis of the ICA Planetary Cartography Working Group at the ICA Congress in Ottawa in August 1999. Its goal is to develop materials and information intended to aid in the global dissemination of planetary cartographic information. The overall theme of this effort is the harmonization of international planetary cartographic activities. The commission's activities can help especially in those countries not actively involved in ongoing spacecraft missions, bringing together scientists from diverse backgrounds (planetary science, earth science, cartography) who have not interacted previously, along with map and atlas publishers. The Planetary Cartography Database, the Multilingual Planetary Maps, and the Multilingual Glossary can serve as a reliable resource for cartographers who wish to produce and study planetary maps.