Confirmed: Moon Cave Could Shelter Future Lunar Explorers

Scientists have confirmed the existence of a cave on the moon, close to where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago. They believe there could be hundreds more that might house future astronauts. An Italian-led team reported evidence for a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon.

The cave is located at the Sea of Tranquility, just 400 km (250 miles) from Apollo 11's landing site. The pit, like over 200 others discovered on the moon, was formed by the collapse of a lava tube. Researchers analysed radar measurements from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and compared them with lava tubes on Earth.

Potential Shelters for Astronauts

The findings suggest there could be hundreds of pits and thousands of lava tubes on the moon. These places could serve as natural shelters for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays, solar radiation, and micrometeorite strikes. Building habitats from scratch would be more time-consuming and challenging.

The radar data reveals only the initial part of the underground cavity. Scientists estimate it is at least 40 metres (130 feet) wide and tens of metres long, possibly more. "Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence of one," Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento wrote in an email.

Insights into Moon's Evolution

Rocks and other materials inside these caves, unaltered by harsh surface conditions over eons, can help scientists better understand how the moon evolved, especially its volcanic activity. Most pits seem to be located in the moon's ancient lava plains. There could also be some at the moon's south pole, where NASA plans astronaut landings later this decade.

Permanently shadowed craters at the south pole are believed to hold frozen water that could provide drinking water and rocket fuel. During NASA's Apollo programme, 12 astronauts landed on the moon, starting with Armstrong and Aldrin on July 20, 1969.

The researchers' findings appeared in the journal Nature Astronomy. They noted that reinforcing cave walls might be necessary to prevent collapse but would still be less challenging than building habitats from scratch.

This discovery opens up new possibilities for future lunar missions. It provides potential natural shelters that could significantly aid in establishing a human presence on the moon.