Data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) reveal it. The evidence is definitive. The Moon’s secret caves may be very useful for future missions. It was by 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 60 meters from the base of a pit.
The pit is located more than 370 kilometers northeast of the first human landing site on the Moon. It is in the Mare Tranquillitatis. The full extent of the cave is unknown, but it could extend for miles beneath the sea.
As on Earth
Scientists have suspected for decades that there are underground caves on the Moon. The same is true on Earth. The pits could lead to caves. And they were suggested in images taken by NASA’s lunar orbiters. These mapped the Moon’s surface before NASA’s manned Apollo landings.
In 2009, the existence of a trench was confirmed from images taken by JAXA’s Kaguya orbiter. Since then, many have been found across the Moon through surface imaging and thermal measurements taken by LRO.
There are numerous “lava tubes” on Earth. Scientists suspect that lunar caves were formed when molten lava flowed beneath a cooled lava field. This may have been when a crust formed over a lava flow, leaving a long, hollow tunnel.
caves
If the roof of a solidified lava tube collapses, a shaft opens up, like a skylight. This can lead to the rest of the cave-like tube. Mini-RF is operated by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. Launched on June 18, 2009, LRO has collected a treasure trove of data with its seven powerful instruments. It is making an invaluable contribution to human knowledge about the Moon.
NASA is returning to the Moon with commercial and international partners to expand the human presence in space. They hope to bring back new knowledge and opportunities. The Moon’s secret caves could offer great possibilities for explorers.
