On the 55th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, scientists made a groundbreaking discovery that could change the way the moon might be explored in the future. An international team of researchers, led by experts in Italy, confirmed the presence of an immense cave in the Sea of Tranquility, 250 miles from where humans first landed on the moon, back on July 20, 1969.
Found by analysis of radar measurements from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, this cave is spacious and located not far from the deepest known crater on the Moon. This led to speculation that this cave was just an assumption based on the collapse of a lava tube and that this discovery could be an ideal place for future astronaut shelters. “Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence of one,” said Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone from the University of Trento.
Mare Tranquillitatis, or the Sea of Tranquility, is a broad and flat region on the lunar surface, with many old volcanic eruptions and variously-sized craters spread across the area. The area is particularly significant to lunar history because it was one of the sites chosen for the epic landing of Apollo 11. The discovery of this new cave gives that iconic location another layer of significance.
Hundreds of similar pits and thousands of lava tubes may be scattered throughout the moon, especially within ancient lava flows. Such structures naturally shield astronauts from cosmic rays, solar radiation, and even micrometeorite strikes. That would make it far easier to establish lunar habitats because everything would not have to be built from the ground up.
“More than just being able to provide a place to settle, their implications go far beyond that. Pristine rocks and materials can be found inside these caves, in a manner that could be very crucial to understand how the moon evolved and the volcanic activity that occurred. “The caves are a unique environment that preserves the history of the moon,” noted Lorenzo Bruzzone.
Innovative designs are being created to exploit the lunar caves. This technology of 3D printing will enable the construction of the structures directly from the lunar regolith to create habitats where the created environment blurs with the setting. Core elements of these designs include hermetically sealed living quarters, efficient waste treatment, and reliable sources of energy such as solar power located on the surface above.
Thus, the emergence of lunar caves explains not only the potential of habitation but also opens ways for scientific discovery: future missions could set themselves the goal of in-depth exploration with the mapping of interiors and advanced robotics-based, in-situ material assessment of these caves. It will enable the exploration of resources on the Moon and, who knows, microbial life since scientists posit there may be a possibility for life in such sheltered environments.
More than that, though, these lunar caves could be used to launch deeper expeditions into space, more like spaceports or stations for research. This is undoubtedly the discovery that guarantees humanity is that much closer to making its mark in the outermost fringes of the solar system.
As we celebrate this momentous discovery, may we continue to anticipate further revelations about the moon in the future. Every new piece of information about the moon helps bring out how mankind can use it to ensure human survival and prosperity in unlocking a mystery about mankind and cosmic life. The findings of the research are published in the scientific journal Nature Astronomy.