NASA thinks Moon could be full of caves

William Atkins
Wednesday, 14 July 2010 01:33

Science - Space

The NASA Science article "Down the Lunar Rabbit-Hole" tells of the distinct possibility of giant caverns, caves, and tunnels under the Moon’s surface. Giant holes on the lunar surface could lead to "entrances to a geologic wonderland." Go tell Alice we’ll be there eventually.

 

The NASA article appears at "Down the Lunar Rabbit-Hole" with Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the White Rabbit.

The U.S. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Japanese Kaguya spacecraft are taking, and have taken, (respectively) many images of caverns hundreds of feet deep underneath the lunar surface.

See images of some of these holes and caverns on the before-mentioned July 12, 2010 NASA Science article.

These caverns were first hypothesized back in the 1960s when the United States was exploring the Moon for its manned Apollo missions.

One such hole—a pit within the Marius Hills on the Moon—is described by NASA as “big enough to fit the White House completely inside.”

Now that NASA has proven that these tunnels and caverns exist under the Moon, the U.S. space agency wants to explore them.

Dr. Mark Robinson, from Arizona State University and a LRO principal investigator, states, "They could be entrances to a geologic wonderland. We believe the giant holes are skylights that formed when the ceilings of underground lava tubes collapsed."

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