Discovery of Lunar Cave Near Apollo 11 Site Opens New Horizons for Space Exploration

Scientists have confirmed the presence of a sizable cave on the moon, near the Apollo 11 landing site. They suspect there are hundreds more that could support future astronauts. The discovery was made by analyzing radar data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, comparing it to Earth's lava tubes.

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have confirmed the existence of a sizable cave on the moon's surface, located just 250 miles from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history 55 years ago. The revelation was made by an Italian-led research team.

The team reported in Nature Astronomy that the cave is accessible from the deepest known pit at the Sea of Tranquility. This pit, along with more than 200 others, was formed by the collapse of a lava tube.

Researchers utilized radar measurements from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and compared them to known lava tubes on Earth. The findings suggest that these caves could potentially house future astronauts, opening new avenues for lunar exploration and habitation.

(With inputs from agencies.)