Read at 3 different speeds

Caves could be a moon base - 5th August 2024

US astronauts stepped onto the moon’s surface over 50 years ago. However, this hasn’t resulted in a permanent lunar station. Now, the discovery of cave tunnels may help to realise this ambition.

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which scans the moon’s surface, identified the cave entrance in 2010. Careful study of this data has now been completed by scientists at the University of Trento in Italy. This has revealed a system of cave tunnels stretching from the entrance.

The cave’s located in the Sea of Tranquility, close to the first moon landing site. The tunnel system is between 130 and 170 metres in length, which means it could provide enough space for a lunar base. On the moon’s surface, there isn’t much atmosphere. Temperatures are 121 degrees celsius in the light and minus 133 degrees in the dark, and small asteroids regularly strike the surface.

At 80 metres by 45 metres, one cave section could contain several lunar houses. A moon base offers the possibility of using the moon to explore the wider solar system.

Other caves may exist near to the lunar poles, which contain ice. Caves close to a supply of water would provide the ideal site for a settlement.

China and India have recently landed probes on the moon. They join the USA, Russia and Japan, which have previously sent spacecraft to the lunar surface. Now, private companies are interested in landing on the moon too. This search for caves to set up a lunar base could lead to a new space race.