Caves on the moon are target of new NASA mission
NASA wants to search for caves on the moon. A new mission named GIMLI will land and examine a volcanic pit — the Marius Hills Pit — in the vast, dark lunar lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum. The post Caves on the moon are target of new NASA mission first appeared on EarthSky .
NASA plans to explore caves on the Moon using the GIMLI mission. GIMLI stands for Geophysical Instruments for Marius Lunar pit Investigation. The mission aims to land at the volcanic Marius Hills Pit in Oceanus Procellarum, also known as the "Ocean of Storms." This pit is one of 300 such pits found on the Moon.
The primary goal of GIMLI is to detect a lava tube-type cave beneath the lunar surface. Scientists believe that such caves could provide a comfortable and protected environment for future human explorers on the Moon. Confirmation of a lava tube would help protect astronauts from radiation, micro-meteoroids, and extreme temperatures.
The GIMLI mission will use radar and other instruments to probe beneath the surface of the Marius Hills Pit. Instruments like ground-penetrating radar, a gravimeter, seismic sensors, and cameras will be employed for the exploration. These tools will help scientists gather valuable data about the lunar surface and identify potential cave locations.
This ambitious mission is part of NASA's PRISM program, which focuses on payloads and research investigations on the Moon's surface. The mission's name comes from J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional character Gimli, a dwarf known for his affinity for caves in the Lord of the Rings series.
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