Researchers have newly found an underground cave system on the moon, that could be established as the lunar base for the astronauts visiting the moon during future missions.
The cave is located around 150 meters beneath the moon's surface in Mare Tranquillitatis pit where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first landed 50 years ago according to the data provided by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
The radar reading reveals that the Mare Tranquillitatis pit is the deepest known pit to humans which is around 45 meters deep and 100 meters wider after using LRO data and computer simulations this was confirmed.
According to Lorenzo Bruzzone, of the University of Trento in Italy revealed the cave was “probably an empty lava tube” as the moon temperature is very low the pit will serve as great shelter to the astronauts in the mission in future.
Studying the rocks present in the cave can contribute to revealing the moon’s history and activities that happen there. It is speculated that the cave might have a presence of water ice, which will be a great help in long-term lunar missions and colonization.
Lunar orbiters detected the pits on the lunar surface over a decade ago, some of the detection was possible due to the help of the skylights that posed as the guide leading to underground caves like lava tubes.
The formation of these underground tunnels is due to the volcanic history of the moon. Around 200 pits have been identified on the moon, many situated on lava fields and potentially serving as entrances to these subterranean lava tubes.
Overall this discovery of an underground cave on the moon is a potential base for astronauts to have a breakthrough in their quest. This discovery will pave the way for future space exploration endeavours, including missions to Mars and beyond.
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