Cave on the moon could become home for astronauts

Scientists have discovered a cave on the moon that could be used as a permanent base for humans in the future.

– Really exciting, say researchers.

The cave is the first discovered on the moon and is believed to be over 100 meters deep.

It is located in the Sea of ​​Tranquility, a plain area where the first lunar expedition, Apollo 11, landed. According to the Italian research team, who made the discovery using radar, the cave is likely one of hundreds located in the moon’s ancient lava plains.

Base on the moon

When the scientists realized how big the cave was, they realized it could be a good place for a lunar base. A number of countries are racing to establish a permanent human presence on the moon.

– After all, life on Earth began in caves, so it seems reasonable to think that people can live in them on the moon, says Professor Leonardo Carrer at the University of Trento to the British BBC.

Building bases from scratch is more time consuming and challenging. The caves could act as natural protection for future astronauts who must be protected from radiation as well as extreme temperatures and meteorite impacts.

So far, very little is known about the cave’s interior. The researchers hope to explore it further with the help of cameras and robots.

– It’s really exciting. When you make discoveries like this, you realize that you are the first person in human history to see it, says Carrer.

Jet engine to ascend

The cave was created millions or billions of years ago when lava flowed on the moon and created tunnels through the rock.

It has been known for almost 50 years that there are caves on the moon. Since 2010, a camera has been taking pictures of pits believed to be cave entrances.

British astronaut Helen Sharman tells the BBC that astronauts could live in “moon holes” in 20 to 30 years in connection with space expeditions. But she adds that you probably need to climb down and use jet engines or an elevator to get up because the caves are so deep.