Here’s Where Astronauts Could Shelter On The Moon, According To NASA

Taking advantage of lunar pits to shelter astronauts also opens the door to exploring under the lunar surface. Some of these pits could be linked to lava tubes that would allow researchers to get a view of the moon from a different angle. These pits could make interesting research locations, according to Noah Petro, project scientist for NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: “Lunar pits are a fascinating feature on the lunar surface,” Petro said. “Knowing that they create a stable thermal environment helps us paint a picture of these unique lunar features and the prospect of one day exploring them.”

Similar lava tubes are found on Earth, and the study authors used information about the lava pits on the moon’s surface to infer that the caves formed by lava tubes would likely also be at comfortable temperatures. This is valuable because of the moon’s day and night cycle. Due to the way it rotates, a lunar day lasts around two weeks. During these two weeks, the surface is bombarded by sunlight and can become extremely hot. But then night arrives, which also lasts around two weeks, and the moon is not only in perpetual darkness but also gets extremely cold. Having pits or caves where astronauts could shelter would make the longer-term habitation of the moon that much more feasible.