A robot called GIMLI will explore a lunar cave for a future moon base
The race to build a moon base is ramping up. Columnist Robin George Andrews explores how NASA is preparing by sending a cave-hunting robot ahead of humans
A robot called GIMLI, an acronym for Geophysical Instruments for Marius Lunar pit Investigation, is set to explore a lunar cave to aid future moon base construction. The moon, located a mere 385,000 kilometers from Earth, presents a dangerous environment for human habitation. Temperatures swing from 120°C in daylight to a frigid -245°C in shadowed craters.
Moonquakes can last for tens of minutes, and the lack of atmosphere exposes the surface to asteroids and space radiation. NASA has selected three uncrewed scientific missions to the moon, including GIMLI, to address these challenges. GIMLI will investigate a subterranean lava tube in the Marius Hills pit, a naturally occurring shelter that could shield astronauts from extreme temperatures and harmful radiation.
The mission, a collaborative effort between NASA, the Planetary Science Institute, the Norwegian Space Agency, and Honeybee Robotics, aims to scout out the pit and confirm it as a potential shelter for future lunar inhabitants.
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