It could house a lunar base or serve as a temporary shelter. Researchers have just proven the existence of a huge cave under the Moon’s surface, accessible from the surface. Thanks to it, astronauts would be protected from extreme temperature variations, dangerous cosmic rays, solar radiation and even micrometeorite rains.
“These caves have been theorized for more than half a century, explains Lorenzo Bruzzone, professor at the University of Trento and co-author of the study published in Nature Astronomy. But this is the very first time that we can demonstrate their existence.”
He and his colleagues used data collected in 2010 by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft to survey the surface of the Sea of ​​Tranquility. This gigantic basin formed by lava flows was the site of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Within it, the largest pit that the LRO had ever photographed piqued the curiosity of the Trento researchers.
Beyond colonization, possible answers about the history of the Moon
This cave is “probably an empty lava tube”according to Lorenzo Bruzzone, who adds that it could be ideal for becoming a human habitat. “Its characteristics provide a natural shelter from the hostile environment of the Moon.”
There may even be water in the form of ice. But colonization is not the only goal of this research. Scientists are also very interested in the geological scars that these caves probably bear, which could provide information about the past and the formation of the Moon.
Preparations for a return of humans to the Moon, however, are what is funding the research. Space agencies are already working on ways to reinforce the walls and ceilings of these caves to make them habitable. It will also be necessary to monitor their seismic activity and plan exits for astronauts in the event of collapses.
At least two hundred other pits have been spotted on the Moon, potentially as many entrances to underground caves. “The main advantage of caves is that they provide the structure for an operational human base that would otherwise require a complex construction site.”rejoices Leonardo Carrer, the lead author of the study.
Another unknown is access. Establishing a base in a cave would already require “to descend 125 meters on a steep slope where the slightest movement could throw an avalanche of debris towards the bottom”fears Robert Wagner, a researcher at Arizona State University. “It is certainly possible to get in and out, but it would require significant infrastructure.”
Proof, if any were needed, that there is still a lot of work to be done before the Moon can be colonized. An argument to speed up the process? NASA and ESA are not alone: China’s space program is also investigating on the feasibility of a base inside these lava tunnels. The new race to the Moon is well underway.
Source: www.slate.fr
