Moon uncovers its largest recent crater, prompting rethink of lunar bases

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has identified the Moon’s largest known recent impact crater, McGetchin, about 728 feet (220 meters) wide and up to 141 feet (43 meters) deep on the near side. Formed in May 2024 by a fragment from an asteroid or comet and confirmed in 2025–26, the crater is three times larger than the previous LRO record-holder and has churned the surface over roughly 66 miles, ejecting dust and rocks at higher angles than expected. A separate study notes a 4‑mile-wide cold spot around the crater, consistent with regolith upheaval. Scientists say such a large event is statistically rare (about once every 132 years) and the data will help NASA plan a future Moon base by assessing ejecta risks and how the topmost soil is mixed, acknowledging that Apollo footprints won’t necessarily last as long as once thought.