Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon that could be used to shelter future explorers

Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, and suspect there are hundreds of others that could inhabit future heavens.

An Italian-led team reported Monday that there is evidence for a massive cave accessible from the deepest known crater on the moon. Located in the Pacific Ocean, just 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the Apollo 11 landing site.

The pit, like more than 200 others found up there, was formed by the collapse of a lava tube.

The researchers analyzed radar measurements with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and compared the results with lava tubes on Earth. Their findings appeared in the journal Astronomy of Nature. . . .

Radar data reveals only a rudimentary portion of subterranean space, according to scientists. They estimate it to be at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide and tens of yards (meters) long, maybe more.

“Moon caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to finally be able to prove the existence of one,” Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzon of the University of Trento wrote in an email.

Most of the pits are believed to be in ancient lunar lava plains, according to scientists. There could also be some at the moon’s South Pole, the site of NASA’s planned astronaut landings later this decade. The permanently shadowed springs are believed to contain frozen water that could supply drinking water and rocket fuel.

During NASA’s Apollo program, 12 astronauts landed on the moon, beginning on July 20, 1969 with Armstrong and Aldrin.

The findings suggest that there could be hundreds of craters on the moon and thousands of lava tubes. Such places can serve as a natural refuge for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays and sunlight as well as from micro-meteor strikes. Building habitats from scratch tends to be time-consuming and challenging, even when factoring in the need to reinforce cave walls to prevent collapse, the team said.

Rocks and other materials in these caves—unchanged over the years due to harsh surface conditions—could also help scientists better understand how the moon evolved, especially as it contains volcanic activity

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