July 15, 2024

In a groundbreaking discovery, geologist and speleologist Francesco Sauro, EC50 member, and his collaborators have confirmed the existence of a subsurface lunar cave conduit tens of meters long connected to a pit within the Mare Tranquillitatis Pit on the Moon.

By analyzing archival radar measurements collected in 2010 by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the team found that the MTP leads to an accessible cave conduit beneath the Moon’s surface, marking the first time that we’re able to look through the darkness of a cave on another planet.

Mare Tranquillitatis, also referred to as The Sea of Tranquility, has long captivated astronomers. Once thought to be an ocean on the Moon, its relatively smooth fields made it an ideal location for the first manned lunar landing. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left the first human footprints on the Moon near the southwestern shores of Mare Tranquillitatis. The newly identified subsurface cave is just 250 miles from Apollo 11’s landing site.

Francesco believes that “this will push further space agencies in planning satellite and robotic missions to explore caves on the Moon and Mars.”

This latest discovery of subsurface caves on the moon, not only enhances our understanding of lunar geology but also redefines the possibilities for human exploration beyond Earth.  This discovery suggests that the MTP could be a promising site for a lunar base, as it could offer shelter from the harsh surface environment.

The full report by Francesco Sauro and his collaborators can be found in Nature Astronomy here.

Read more about Francesco Sauro, EC50 Class of 2023, and the rest of the incredible members of the EC50 here.

Visual renderings provided by Francesco Sauro.