NASA Discovers Evidence of Mysterious Network of Caves on the Moon [Video]

Using NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data, scientists have identified evidence of extensive caves beneath the Moon’s surface, akin to Earth’s lava tubes.

These findings, derived from a decade-old radar survey, hint at significant underground formations that could support future astronaut missions by providing natural shelter.

Discovery of Subsurface Lunar Caves

An international team of scientists using data from NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) has discovered evidence of caves beneath the Moon’s surface.

In re-analyzing radar data collected by LRO’s Mini-RF (Miniature Radio-Frequency) instrument in 2010, the team found evidence of a cave extending more than 200 feet from the base of a pit. The pit is located 230 miles northeast of the first human landing site on the Moon in Mare Tranquillitatis. The full extent of the cave is unknown, but it could stretch for miles beneath the mare.

Scientists have suspected for decades that there are subsurface caves on the Moon, just like there are on Earth. Pits that may lead to caves were suggested in images from NASA’s lunar orbiters that mapped the Moon’s surface before NASA’s Apollo human landings. A pit was then confirmed in 2009 from images taken by JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Kaguya orbiter, and many have since been found across the Moon through images and thermal measurements of the surface taken by LRO.

NASA Spacecraft Finds Pits on the Moon That Always Hover Around a Comfortable Temperature

Lunar Pits: Potential Havens for Astronauts

“Now the analysis of the Mini-RF radar data tells us how far these caves might extend,” said Noah Petro, LRO project scientist based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

LRO Reveals Lunar Pits Could Support Human Activity on the Lunar Surface

Like “lava tubes” found here on Earth, scientists suspect that lunar caves formed when molten lava flowed beneath a field of cooled lava, or a crust formed over a river of lava, leaving a long, hollow tunnel. If the ceiling of a solidified lava tube collapses, it opens a pit, like a skylight, that can lead into the rest of the cave-like tube.

For more on this discovery, see NASA’s Lunar Orbiter Reveals Hidden Tunnels on the Moon.

An intricate, winding network of channels could exist just below the surface of the Moon. These lava tubes, produced by underground flowing magma from ancient volcanoes, are shielded from solar radiation and may hold secrets to the history of our solar system. Credit: NASA 360

Reference: “Radar evidence of an accessible cave conduit on the Moon below the Mare Tranquillitatis pit” by Leonardo Carrer, Riccardo Pozzobon, Francesco Sauro, Davide Castelletti, Gerald Wesley Patterson and Lorenzo Bruzzone, 15 July 2024, Nature Astronomy.
DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02302-y

The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) are integral components of NASA’s mission to enhance our understanding of the Moon. Mini-RF is operated by The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory located in Laurel, Maryland. This instrument plays a crucial role in radar imaging and analysis, contributing significantly to lunar geological research.

The LRO is a comprehensive lunar exploration satellite managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. This management is conducted under the oversight of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Since its launch on June 18, 2009, LRO has been equipped with seven powerful instruments, gathering a vast array of data that has deeply enriched scientific knowledge of the Moon’s surface, resources, and potential for human habitation.

LRO’s mission has been pivotal in mapping the lunar surface in unprecedented detail, aiding in both scientific research and preparation for future human missions. NASA plans to leverage the insights gained from LRO and partners, both commercial and international, to expand human presence in space, exploring new frontiers and opening up fresh opportunities. The partnership aims to not only revisit the Moon but also to establish a sustainable human presence there, ushering in a new era of lunar exploration and utilization.

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