Inside NASA's plan to explore underground lunar caves that one day could shelter astronauts

NASA is preparing to explore deep craters on the moon, known as the Marius Hills pit, to determine if ancient underground caves could provide shelter for future astronauts.Lunar cave explorationNASA is targeting the Marius Hills pit on the lunar surface, where caves were formed billions of years ago by flowing lava. Because volcanic activity on the moon has ceased, the empty lava tubes could offer a safe space for astronauts to live and work.According to Dr. Don Platt, director of the Spaceport Education Center at Florida Tech, underground caves could shield astronauts from dangerous radiation and fast-moving micrometeoroids landing on the surface."A cave could provide shelter or shielding if you will," said Platt.Advanced lunar toolsNASA is collaborating with the Planetary Science Institute and Honeybee Robotics to develop specialized instruments for the mission. Researchers plan to use ground-penetrating radar, seismic sensors, a gravimeter, and specialized cameras to look beneath th