NASA Selects GIMLI to Search the Marius Lunar Pit for a Potential Lunar Base Site

NASA has chosen the Geophysical Instruments for Marius Lunar pit Investigation (GIMLI) to explore the Marius Hill Pit (MHP) as a potential site for a future lunar base. The Artemis Program aims to establish a long-term presence on the Moon and develop infrastructure to support regular missions. GIMLI, led by the Planetary Science Institute (PSI), will utilize advanced instruments to investigate the skylight, a hole in an old lunar lava tube, and determine if a larger cave system extends beyond it.

The mission, in partnership with the Norwegian Space Agency and Honeybee Robotics, will provide valuable data on the Moon's volcanic history and subsurface structure. GIMLI's instruments will include ground-penetrating radar, seismic sensors, a gravimeter, and cameras to analyze the pit's walls and surrounding terrain. Even if no underground cave is found, the mission will still contribute to understanding the formation of MHP and the Moon's geological past.