An underground moon cave stretching deep into the lunar surface has been discovered close to where Apollo 11 landed 55 years ago.
Researchers made the finding near the Sea of Tranquillity rising hopes that it could be used as a potential base for future astronauts.
Scientists have previously discovered caves beneath the moon’s surface but said that this is the first time one could be accessible to humans.
The findings were published today in the journal Nature Astronomy.
“These caves have been theorized for over 50 years, but it is the first time ever that we have demonstrated their existence,” co-author Lorenzo Bruzzone explained.
An international team of researchers analyzed radar images from the Miniature Radio-Frequency aboard Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
The images were obtained in 2010, the same year a pit was detected in the Mare Tranquillitatis, but scientists were unable to analyze the data due to limited technology.
“Years later, we have reanalyzed these data with complex signal processing techniques we have recently developed,” Bruzzone said.
The researchers discovered radar reflections best explained by an underground channel and determined it to be an empty lava tube.
The cave is nestled at least 130 meters underground and appears roughly 45 meters wide and at least 30 meters long.
“This discovery provides the first direct evidence of an accessible lava tube under the surface of the moon,” Bruzzone said.
The discovery has important implications for future space missions.
IN 2022, Nasa-funded scientists determined that shaded areas within the pits measure around a mild 63 degrees Fahrenheit or roughly 17 degrees Celsius.
The pits – and, by extension, the tunnels – would serve as thermally stable sites for lunar exploration, shielding astronauts against the Moon’s harsh climate.
The Moon’s surface can heat up to 260 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 127 degrees Celsius, during the day.
At night, temperatures can drop to negative 280 degrees Fahrenheit, or around negative 173 degrees Celsius.
And that isn’t all. Cosmic and solar radiation are over 100 times stronger on the lunar surface than on Earth.
Exposure to these emissions can damage DNA and alter the biochemistry of cells and tissues.
It is for this reason the caves have great promise. Scientists believe they can aid humans in establishing a permanent presence on our planet’s nearest satellite.
“Humans evolved living in caves, and to caves we might return when we live on the Moon,” said David Paige, a co-author of the 2022 paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Here's what you need to know...
Nasa‘s LRO has delivered a wealth of data to researchers back on Earth.
It marked the first U.S. mission to the Moon in over a decade and continues to orbit the celestial body.
It created a three-dimensional map of the Moon as part of a program to identify future landing sites and resources, including ice deposits tucked in polar craters.
