CAVE ON THE MOON
Source: IndianExpress
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Context
- The recent confirmation of a cave on the Moon near the historic Apollo 11 landing site has significant implications for future lunar exploration and habitation.
- This discovery highlights the potential of lunar caves as safe havens for astronauts, offering protection from the Moon's harsh environment.
Details
The Discovery
- Location:The cave is located in the Sea of Tranquillity, about 400 kilometers from the Apollo 11 landing site.
- Characteristics:The cave is roughly 45 meters wide and 80 meters long, equivalent to 14 tennis courts. It was identified through analysis of images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) in 2010 .
- Formation:The cave likely formed from the collapse of a lava tube, a common feature created by ancient volcanic activity on the Moon.
SEA OF TRANQUILLITY (MARE TRANQUILLITATIS)
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Potential for Human Habitation
Lunar caves could serve as:
- Future Lunar Bases:Providing a safe and stable environment for long-term human missions on the Moon.
- Emergency Shelters:Offering immediate protection for astronauts in case of unforeseen hazards on the lunar surface.
Caves on the Moon
Formation and Identification of Lunar Caves:
- Lunar caves, primarily in the form of lava tubes, are believed to have formed during ancient volcanic activity on the Moon.
- These caves are created when the surface of a lava flow cools and solidifies while the molten lava underneath continues to flow, eventually draining away and leaving behind a hollow tube.
- Surface expressions of these lava tubes, known as "skylights," are formed by the collapse of the tube's roof.
Scientific and Exploration Missions:
- The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA are planning missions to explore these lunar caves further.
- The ESA's planned mission involves deploying a rover to transport exploration equipment to the pit's edge, where a robotic crane (RoboCrane) and a spherical robotic probe (Daedalus) will descend to map and study the cave's interior.
Resources and Sustainability:
- Lunar caves may also provide access to valuable resources such as water ice, especially near the lunar poles.
- This ice can be used for life support and fuel production, reducing the need to transport these essentials from Earth.
Advantages of Lunar Caves
- Stable Temperatures:Unlike the extreme temperature fluctuations on the lunar surface, which can range from 127°C during the day to -173°C at night, caves maintain a more stable temperature around 17°C.
- Radiation Protection:The thick rock layers of lunar caves provide natural shielding from cosmic radiation, which is 150 times stronger on the Moon compared to Earth.
- Micrometeorite Shielding:Lunar caves also offer protection from micrometeorite impacts, which are frequent and hazardous on the Moon's surface.
LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER (LRO) The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft launched on June 18, 2009. It is designed to map the moon's surface in unprecedented detail, primarily to identify safe landing sites for future lunar missions, locate potential resources, and study the radiation environment. The LRO's suite of instruments includes:
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Major Geographical Features on the Moon
Feature Type |
Feature Name |
Description |
Location |
Mare (Plural: Maria) |
Mare Imbrium |
The largest mare on the Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. |
Northwestern lunar near side |
Mare Tranquillitatis |
The Sea of Tranquility, famous as the landing site of Apollo 11. |
Eastern lunar near side |
|
Mare Serenitatis |
The Sea of Serenity, characterized by its dark basaltic plains. |
Northeast of Mare Imbrium |
|
Craters |
Tycho |
A prominent impact crater with a large ray system. |
Southern lunar hemisphere |
Copernicus |
A large, relatively young impact crater with terraced walls and a central peak. |
Near the center of the Moon's near side |
|
Clavius |
One of the largest craters on the Moon, known for its distinctive arc of smaller craters inside. |
Southern lunar highlands |
|
Mountains |
Montes Apenninus |
A mountain range formed by the Imbrium Basin impact, featuring some of the highest peaks on the Moon. |
Southeastern border of Mare Imbrium |
Montes Taurus |
A rugged highland region where Apollo 17 landed. |
Eastern lunar near side |
|
Valleys |
Vallis Schröteri |
The largest sinuous rille on the Moon, believed to be a collapsed lava tube. |
Near the Aristarchus Plateau |
Rilles |
Hadley Rille |
A sinuous rille explored by Apollo 15 astronauts, believed to be a collapsed lava channel. |
Near the Montes Apenninus |
Basins |
South Pole-Aitken Basin |
The largest and oldest impact basin on the Moon, potentially containing material from the deep lunar crust. |
Far side of the Moon |
Moon Missions
Mission |
Date |
Country/Agency |
Type |
Outcome |
Luna 1 |
Jan 2, 1959 |
USSR |
Flyby |
First spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon, missed impact. |
Luna 2 |
Sep 12, 1959 |
USSR |
Impact |
First human-made object to reach the Moon. |
Luna 3 |
Oct 4, 1959 |
USSR |
Flyby |
First photographs of the far side of the Moon. |
Ranger 4 |
Apr 23, 1962 |
USA/NASA |
Impact |
First US spacecraft to reach the Moon. |
Ranger 7 |
Jul 28, 1964 |
USA/NASA |
Impact |
First successful Ranger mission to transmit close-up images of the Moon. |
Luna 9 |
Jan 31, 1966 |
USSR |
Lander |
First spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on the Moon. |
Luna 10 |
Mar 31, 1966 |
USSR |
Orbiter |
First spacecraft to orbit the Moon. |
Surveyor 1 |
May 30, 1966 |
USA/NASA |
Lander |
First US spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on the Moon. |
Luna 16 |
Sep 12, 1970 |
USSR |
Sample Return |
First robotic sample return mission. |
Apollo 11 |
Jul 16, 1969 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
First manned Moon landing; Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. |
Apollo 12 |
Nov 14, 1969 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
Second manned Moon landing. |
Luna 17 |
Nov 10, 1970 |
USSR |
Rover |
Deployed Lunokhod 1, first remote-controlled rover. |
Apollo 13 |
Apr 11, 1970 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
Intended Moon landing, aborted after spacecraft malfunction. |
Apollo 14 |
Jan 31, 1971 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
Third manned Moon landing. |
Apollo 15 |
Jul 26, 1971 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
First mission to use Lunar Roving Vehicle. |
Luna 21 |
Jan 8, 1973 |
USSR |
Rover |
Deployed Lunokhod 2. |
Apollo 16 |
Apr 16, 1972 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
Fifth manned Moon landing. |
Apollo 17 |
Dec 7, 1972 |
USA/NASA |
Crewed |
Last manned Moon landing. |
Luna 24 |
Aug 9, 1976 |
USSR |
Sample Return |
Last Soviet lunar mission, returned samples. |
Hiten |
Jan 24, 1990 |
Japan/ISAS |
Orbiter |
First Japanese mission to the Moon. |
Clementine |
Jan 25, 1994 |
USA/NASA |
Orbiter |
Mapped the Moon's surface in high detail. |
Lunar Prospector |
Jan 6, 1998 |
USA/NASA |
Orbiter |
Detected hydrogen at lunar poles. |
SMART-1 |
Sep 27, 2003 |
ESA |
Orbiter |
Demonstrated ion propulsion, mapped lunar surface. |
Kaguya (Selene) |
Sep 14, 2007 |
Japan/JAXA |
Orbiter |
Created detailed topographical maps. |
Chang'e 1 |
Oct 24, 2007 |
China/CNSA |
Orbiter |
First Chinese mission to the Moon. |
Chandrayaan-1 |
Oct 22, 2008 |
India/ISRO |
Orbiter |
Discovered water molecules on the Moon. |
LCROSS |
Jun 18, 2009 |
USA/NASA |
Impact |
Confirmed presence of water ice. |
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter |
Jun 18, 2009 |
USA/NASA |
Orbiter |
High-resolution mapping of lunar surface. |
Chang'e 2 |
Oct 1, 2010 |
China/CNSA |
Orbiter |
High-resolution imaging of the Moon. |
GRAIL |
Sep 10, 2011 |
USA/NASA |
Orbiter |
Mapped the Moon's gravitational field. |
LADEE |
Sep 6, 2013 |
USA/NASA |
Orbiter |
Studied the lunar atmosphere and dust. |
Chang'e 3 |
Dec 1, 2013 |
China/CNSA |
Lander/Rover |
First soft landing on the Moon since 1976, deployed Yutu rover. |
Chang'e 4 |
Dec 7, 2018 |
China/CNSA |
Lander/Rover |
First mission to land on the far side of the Moon. |
Chandrayaan-2 |
Jul 22, 2019 |
India/ISRO |
Orbiter/Lander/Rover |
Lander failed, orbiter operational. |
Artemis I |
Nov 16, 2022 |
USA/NASA |
Uncrewed |
Test mission for Artemis program, planned return to the Moon. |
Chang'e 5 |
Nov 23, 2020 |
China/CNSA |
Sample Return |
Successfully returned lunar samples. |
CAPSTONE |
Jun 28, 2022 |
USA/NASA |
Pathfinder |
Tested new orbit for future lunar missions. |
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Sources:
PRACTICE QUESTION Q: Consider the following statements regarding the Moon:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 and 2 only Answer: b) |