NASA mission seeks to confirm existence of lunar lava tube
NASA has selected the GIMLI instrument suite to explore the Marius Hills pit on the moon in 2031. The mission aims to confirm the existence of lunar lava tubes, which could provide radiation-shielded habitats for future astronauts.
Why it matters
Identifying stable, protected environments on the moon is a critical step for the long-term viability of human lunar exploration and base construction.
NASA is moving forward with plans to send a suite of instruments to the moon to confirm the existence of a large cave — essentially a tube left behind by lava flows from ancient volcanic activity — that researchers believe is beneath the opening of a pit on the lunar near side.
Plans call for launching a rover in 2031 carrying ground penetrating radar, a gravimeter and seismometer, along with optical cameras, to explore a hole known as the Marius Hills pit, which was discovered in 2009 by the Japanese lunar orbiter SELENE (also known as Kaguya in Japan). The pit is believed to provide access to a possible lava tube, based partly on shadows in orbital imagery that suggest an overhanging roof.
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