NASA Selects GIMLI Mission to Hunt for Lunar Lava Tubes Beneath Marius Hills Pit
NASA has selected the GIMLI mission to investigate whether the Marius Hills Pit on the Moon leads into a large underground lava tube. Led by the Planetary Science Institute and Honeybee Robotics, the mission will use ground-penetrating radar, seismic sensors, and gravity measurements to probe the subsurface. If a cave exists, it could provide natural radiation shielding for future astronauts. The mission is part of NASA's PRISM program and will launch via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.