Scientists have confirmed the existence of a cave on the moon that could potentially house future astronauts. The cave, located near the Sea of Tranquility, offers promising prospects for sustainable lunar exploration and habitation.
An Italian-led research team reported evidence of a sizable cave accessible from the moon’s deepest known pit. Situated just 400 kilometers from the historic Apollo 11 landing site, the discovery brings new excitement to lunar studies and the possibilities of establishing a human presence on the moon.
The pit, along with more than 200 others discovered on the lunar surface, was formed by the collapse of a lava tube. Researchers from the University of Trento, Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone, analyzed radar measurements from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to confirm the cave’s existence. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
“The lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years, so it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence of one,” Carrer and Bruzzone remarked in an email. The radar data reveals only the initial part of the underground cavity, which they estimate to be at least 40 meters wide and tens of meters long, with the possibility of being even more extensive.
Most of these pits are located in the moon’s ancient lava plains, but there may also be some at the moon’s south pole—NASA’s planned location for astronaut landings later this decade. Permanently shadowed craters at the south pole are believed to hold frozen water, a crucial resource for drinking water and rocket fuel.
The discovery suggests there could be hundreds of pits and thousands of lava tubes on the moon. These natural structures could serve as shelters for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays, solar radiation, and micrometeorite strikes. Utilizing existing caves could be less time-consuming and challenging than constructing habitats from scratch, though reinforcing the cave walls to prevent collapse may be necessary.
Exploring these caves not only aids in habitation prospects but also provides valuable scientific insights. The rocks and materials within these caves, unaltered by harsh surface conditions over eons, can help scientists better understand the moon’s evolution, particularly its volcanic activity.
This discovery comes 55 years after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first set foot on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission. Since then, interest in returning to the moon has grown, with plans to establish sustainable exploration and even potential colonization.
As scientists continue to explore the moon’s hidden depths, the prospect of utilizing lunar caves brings humanity one step closer to a long-term presence on the moon, paving the way for future space exploration endeavors.
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Scientists confirm lunar cave that could house future astronauts
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