Scientists have confirmed the existence of a cave on the moon, not far from the location where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, which could provide shelter for future astronauts.
A research team led by Italians announced on Monday (July 15) that there is evidence of a fairly large cave on the moon that can be accessed from one of the deepest known pits. It is located in the Sea of Tranquility, just 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the landing site of Apollo 11.
This pit, like more than 200 others found in the area, is believed to have formed from the collapse of a lava tube.
The research results were published in the journal Nature Astronomy. Researchers analyzed the radar measurements from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and compared them with lava tubes on Earth.
Scientists say that the radar data only shows the initial part of the discovered underground cavity. They estimate that the cave is at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide, tens of meters long, or even longer.
“For over 50 years, moon caves have remained a mystery,” wrote Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento in an email to the Associated Press. “Therefore, being able to finally prove the existence of moon caves is exciting.”
Furthermore, scientists say that most of the pits appear to be located on the moon’s ancient lava plains. There may also be some in the lunar south pole, where NASA plans to have astronauts land later in this decade.
The meteorite craters there have long been shrouded in shadow and are believed to contain frozen water, which could provide drinking water and rocket fuel.
During NASA’s Apollo program, starting with Armstrong and Aldrin’s moon landing on July 20, 1969, a total of 12 astronauts set foot on the moon.
The research indicates that there may be hundreds of pits and thousands of lava tubes on the moon. The research team suggests that these locations could serve as natural shelters for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays, solar radiation, and impacts from micrometeorites. Building habitats from scratch would be time-consuming and challenging.