Lunar lava tube

[14] Gravitometric observations by the GRAIL spacecraft suggest the presence of lunar lava tubes with widths of over 1 km.

[15] In 2023-2024, radar imaging of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera was analyzed and determined to have been formed by the collapse of a lava tube that resulted in the formation of a cave conduit at least tens of meters long, proving the existence of lunar caves.

Two complementary studies have been selected, the Descent And Exploration in Deep Autonomy of Lava Underground Structures (DAEDALUS) Sphere and the RoboCrane.

This prototype is equipped with several components capable of performing a high-definition 3D mapping during the descent and moving autonomously within a lava tube.

This system is in fact equipped with LIDAR and stereoscopic cameras to guarantee almost total coverage in order to acquire data in any condition.

This would give ready access to: elevated regions, for communications; basaltic plains, for landing sites and regolith harvesting; and underground mineral resources.

The Mare Tranquillitatis pit has been associated with a lava tube.
Sinuous 50‑km‑long chain of collapse pits transitions into a continuous uncollapsed segment of a lunar lava tube.
Oblique view of the Marius Hills "Haruyama Skylight" pit
The temperature of the Moon's interior increases with depth