The Planetary Science Institute will lead the GIMLI mission to explore the Marius Hills Pit on the Moon. NASA selected this project to investigate whether the site serves as an entrance to a lava tube, which could potentially house a future lunar base protected from radiation and extreme temperatures.
The mission will deploy three geophysical instruments: a ground-penetrating radar, a gravimeter, and seismic sensors. This marks the first time active seismic exploration has been conducted on the lunar surface since the Apollo era. The equipment is being developed by Honeybee Robotics.
The project is supported by the Norwegian Space Agency and funded through NASA's PRISM program. The spacecraft will be delivered to the lunar surface via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The data collected will also help researchers study volcanic history and regolith layers.
Even if a large cave is not found, the mission aims to capture images of the pit walls and analyze subsurface structures. This research will provide insights into lunar basaltic processes and allow scientists to compare them with terrestrial cave formations.
