Gene Shoemaker would go on to become a pioneer in the field of astrogeology. Gene Shoemaker founded the Astrogeology Research Program August 25, 1960. Shoemaker referred to O'Keefe as the "godfather of astrogeology". Shoemaker also helped pioneer the field of astrogeology by founding the Astrogeology Research Program. He was also the first director of the United States Geological Survey's Astrogeology Research Program. Pecora was director of the USGS when the Astrogeology Research Program began in 1963. Airbrush maps were produced by USGS Astrogeology Branch to support the NASA Apollo missions. In astrogeology, an arachnoid is a large geological structure resembling a spider web.