A cave has been found on the moon that could be a haven for future explorers
Scientists have confirmed that there are caves on the Moon that could be used as shelters for future space explorers. The deepening was discovered not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Earth's satellite 55 years ago.
Scientists suspect that there are hundreds of other caves on the Moon. About it writes AP.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission (1969).
Source: Getty
An Italian-led team has reported that there is evidence of a vast cave accessible from the deepest known hole on the moon. It is located in the Sea of Tranquility, 400 kilometers from the Apollo 11 landing site.
The pit, like more than 200 others found there, was formed by the collapse of a lava tube. According to scientists, radar data detects only the initial part of the underground cavity. They estimate it to be at least 40 meters wide and dozens of meters long.
The discovered moon cave is more than 40 meters wide.
Source: Getty
"Moon caves have remained a mystery for more than 50 years. So it was interesting to finally prove the existence of at least one," said Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone from the University of Trento.
According to the scientists, most of the pits are located in the moon's ancient lava plains. Also, some may be at the moon's south pole, where NASA astronauts are scheduled to land later this decade. The permanently shadowed craters are thought to contain frozen water that could provide drinking water and rocket fuel.
Findings indicate there may be hundreds of pits and thousands of lava tubes on the moon.
Source: Getty
Scientists note that such places could serve as a natural shelter for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays and solar radiation, as well as micrometeorite impacts. Building the habitats from scratch would be more labor-intensive and complex, even considering the potential need to reinforce the cave walls to prevent collapse, the team said.
Rocks and other materials inside these caves, unaltered by the harsh surface conditions, could also help scientists better understand how the moon evolved, especially involving its volcanic activity.
Scientists continue to study features of the Moon.
Source: NASA
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