Cave that could shelter future explorers discovered on moon

Cape Canaveral, July 15

Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, and suspect there are hundreds more that could house future astronauts.

An Italian-led team reported Monday that there’s evidence for a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon. It’s located at the Sea of Tranquility, just 400 km from Apollo 11’s landing site. The pit was created by the collapse of a lava tube.

Researchers analyzed radar measurements by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and compared the results with lava tubes on Earth. Their findings appeared in Nature Astronomy. The radar data reveals only the initial part of the underground cavity. They estimate it’s at least 130 feet (40 metres) wide and tens of yards (metres) long, probably more.

“Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence of one,” Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento, wrote in an email. — AP