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Lava tubes are caves created by lava as it flows from a volcanic vent under a hardened surface. On Earth, these lava tubes are found in Hawaii, the Canary Islands, Australia, and Iceland. Their diameter varies from 33 to 98 feet.
Lunar tubes on the Moon and Mars could be over 25 miles long, according to a new study using satellite images, radar data, spacecraft observations of features called skylights belonging to collapsed lava tubes and models digital field of lava tubes on the Moon and Mars.
The researchers compared them to lava tubes on Earth and found that moon caves could reach 1 kilometer in diameter, or 3,280.84 feet, which could accommodate the tallest buildings on Earth.
According to scientists, lower gravity and its effects on volcanism could explain these unusually large tubes.
The lava tubes beneath the moon’s surface are so large that they could in fact contain the whole of downtown Padua, said Riccardo Pozzobon, co-author of the study and a planetary geologist in the Geosciences Department of the University of Padua in Italy.
Lava tubes beneath the moon’s surface also remained largely intact due to the low gravity. Any collapsed lava tube on the moon is likely due to asteroid impacts, the researchers said. And those skylights could actually provide access to the tubes.
These lava tubes could help shelter astronauts and provide new information about the Moon and Mars.
“The existence of huge stable voids beneath the Moon’s surface, potentially accessible through skylights, could change the paradigm for how we approach planetary exploration in terms of mission design, planetary human outposts. and scientific research, ”said Pozzobon and Franceso Sauro, author of the study and professor in the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna.
“Accessing these caves and (analyzing) this type of underground environment will present new technological challenges, but could also provide unexpected scientific discoveries.
Explore caves on the moon and on Mars
For astronauts exploring the harsh environments and fluctuating temperatures of the Moon and Mars, lava tubes could provide a natural shelter from radiation, micrometeorite impacts, and unstable temperatures.
Micrometeorites pose a danger not only to astronauts, but also to the habitats and survival gear they will need on the Moon and Mars. The caves could be used for living and storing material.
It’s even possible the tubes could provide access to water ice reservoirs, the researchers said.
“But the challenges in accessing these caves and supporting human activity are enormous nonetheless,” the researchers said.
Caves also present their own dangers and risks.
The tubes will likely contain boulders, sloping floors, and moving rock material. If future missions plan to use the tubes, cranes or attached descents may be required to access the entrances, as they will likely look more like vertical shafts.
“Once at the bottom, we shouldn’t be too confident to find a level floor (although it is possible) but rather stacks of collapsed rocks from the ceiling or walls, which are razor sharp and could damage the inflatable modules. and space suits, ”the researchers told me.
Astronauts should also be able to properly illuminate their space, as rocks inside caves will likely be black. But power is a precious commodity, especially when traveling to the Moon or Mars, so developing the right kind of lighting will be essential.
Studying the interior of these caves could reveal what volcanic activity looked like on the moon and Mars and when it happened. Moreover, such research could provide key information about the inner composition of these planetary bodies.
The interiors of the lava tubes might also reveal “niches that might be ideal for hosting life (on Mars) or might have retained signs of past life, not erased by sterilizing and ionizing UV / cosmic rays that affect the surface and the near subsoil, “the scientists said.
Preparing the astronauts for the trip
Astronauts preparing to explore such caves would need training to traverse vertically developed environments and explore caves. These expeditions would also require preparation for the challenges of exploring a natural environment with rugged terrain, sharp rocks, falling rocks and other unpredictable dangers, the researchers said.
It would also involve training for normal exploration operations and emergency situations.
Since 2012, these programs have trained astronauts to explore underground caves and understand planetary geology, including lava tubes in Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands.
“So far 36 astronauts from five space agencies have received cave trekking training; in addition, six astronauts and four mission and operations specialists received geological training in the field, ”said Jo De Waele, study co-author and speleologist at the University of Bologna.
“It is certainly a big challenge, but it is now clear to all space agencies that if we already have a good knowledge of the surface of the Moon, one of the main steps in space exploration would be to demonstrate the ability to explore… the basement of a planetary body, ”Sauro said.
The call for ideas from universities and the space industry is looking for new technologies that could be developed to land on the moon and explore moon caves.
Next, researchers want to learn more about these tubes, including creating 3D laser scans and understanding their chemistry.
“When we (have) a figure of their underground development through remote sensing, we will be able to provide the most promising targets for the future robotic space or human mission to begin exploring these features,” the researchers said. .
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