Scientists have discovered a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago. They suspect there are hundreds of other caves where future astronauts could stay.
An Italian-led team reported Monday that there is evidence of a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon, located in the Sea of Tranquility, just 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the Apollo 11 landing site.
This pit, like the more than 200 others discovered there, was created by the collapse of a lava tube.
Researchers analyzed radar readings from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and compared the results to lava tubes on Earth. Their findings appear in the journal Nature Astronomy.
According to the scientists, the radar data reveals only the first part of the underground cavity. They estimate it is at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide and tens of yards (meters) long, probably more.
“Moon caves have been a mystery for more than 50 years, so it was exciting to finally prove their existence,” Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
During NASA’s Apollo program, 12 astronauts landed on the moon, Armstrong and Aldrin being the first on July 20, 1969.
The findings suggest there could be hundreds of pits and thousands of lava tubes on the moon.
According to the Nature study, the cave could be a “promising location for a lunar base because it provides shelter from the harsh conditions on Earth’s surface and could be suitable for long-term human exploration of the Moon.”
However, building habitats from scratch would be more time-consuming and challenging, even taking into account the potential need to reinforce the cave walls to prevent collapse, the research team said.
British astronaut Helen Sharman told CBS affiliate BBC News that humans could shelter in these types of lunar grooves within 20 to 30 years, but because of the depth of the cave, they may need “jetpacks or a lift” to get out.
Rocks and other material in these caves, which have not been altered by the harsh surface conditions over eons, can also help scientists better understand how the moon has evolved, particularly in terms of volcanic activity.
Scientists around the world are continually adding new data to the archive of lunar research. Just a few weeks ago, China’s Chang’e 6 lunar probe returned to Earth after collecting rock and soil samples of the lunar surface. Chinese scientists hope the findings will shed light on the differences between two sides of the moon, which have unique geographical features.