Are There Caves on the Moon? NASA Says Yes! A Cave Is Found on the Moon, and It Could House Crews

The world beyond the world we live in is never short of surprises. Don't believe us? Well, you will, once you get to know that NASA has recently found a cave on the Moon!

Yes, the Luna is never less of a surprise, and this time, scientists have found a cave in it. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter conducted radar data, and its analysis confirmed that there is an underground cave on the Moon. This cave could be accessible from the surface. What is even more astonishing, and perhaps advantageous, is the fact that the location is seen as just the right spot to construct a future lunar base on the Moon.

For years, scientists firmly believed that there exists a network of tunnels beneath the Moon's surface. However, much to their disappointment, no proof of the same was being found, until this evidence came up.

On the surface of the Moon exist many pits. These pits are known as skylights. These pits are actually openings in the cave roofs present on the surface of the Moon. Scientists are of the view that these pits, also known as skylights, were actually created after some ancient lava tubes collapsed.

The deepest known of these pits is in the Mare Tranquillitatis. Through analyzing the LRO radar information again, Trento, along with his team, discovered that the pit actually led to a massive cave. The cave is buried over 130 meters underground.

The cave is over 80 meters long and about 45 meters wide. It is situated in the ancient lava plain, known as the Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility). This is the same plain where Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 astronauts placed their foot on the Moon.

Lorenzo Bruzzone, a researcher from the University of Trento said that the cave was perhaps "an empty lava tube". He further said that features like these often contribute as man habitats for the upcoming explorers as they prove to be "a natural shelter against the harsh lunar environment".

The data observed in the year 2010 was analyzed by Leonardo Carrer from the University of Trento. He expressed that the ceiling that shields the cave rocks from extreme radiations of the surface could actually offer protection to further explorers stepping on the Moon. He further said that the temperatures on the Moon vary drastically between night and day, however, that is not the case in the caves. The caves, according to the Scientific American, hold a stable internal temperature. Moreover, they are also a natural shielding against radiation and impacts,” he further added.

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What do such findings imply? What can be inferred?

Scientists believe that these caves can be used as potential habitats for the crews who may be stepping on the Moon in the future for their exploration. These caves, as believed by scientists, protect these people from radiation exposure and meteorite effects. The surface of the Moon provides not one but multiple challenges for human habitation. These include exposure to solar radiation, cosmic rays, and extreme temperature variations between night and day.

What else can be inferred is the fact that the formation of the Moon and the volcanic history can be studied through the rocks present in the caves. These caves could provide the crews with water ice, and this is undoubtedly an essential resource for long-term man settlement on the Luna.

Scientific research has been aiming to prepare humans for various settlement projects on the Moon. According to experts, the discovery of these caves is a great one, and they will significantly increase the chances of the safe survival of human crews on the celestial body.

In a nutshell

The astonishing discovery by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter of a huge cave on the Moon paves the way for exciting possibilities for exploration and habitation on the Moon in the future. This underground cave offers a stable and shielded environment. This means that it holds the potential to serve as a natural shelter for human crews against the harsh conditions on the Moon. The caves are there, and they not only provide potential habitats but also throw light on the wide multitude of opportunities to know and study more about the formation and volcanic history of the Moon, all thanks to the rocks in the caves. All in all, with the progress of scientific research, findings like these play a substantial role in preparing mankind for settlement on the Moon.

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