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Caving is finally out of this world. Once we send astronauts back to the Moon in this decade, there will be a lot of interest in exploring the lunar caves and uncovering the mysteries to which they are subject. But it is of the utmost importance that we make these journeys safe for any human brave enough to plunge into these deep, dark abysses.
Thanks to satellite images, scientists know exactly where every nook and cranny of the moon’s surface is. Our understanding of the interior of these spaces is much deeper. What we do know is that there are “pits” or “skywells” leading to ancient lava tubes left over from the epoch of the moon which was volcanically active billions of years ago . It is thought that these lava tubes could form a vast network of caves and tunnels unexplored by previous space missions.
To explore these underground tunnels, the European Space Agency may only have the tools: deploy two robots named RoboCrane and DAEDALUS. If revealed, the combination of these two robots could help carry out the first alien orbital mission in history.
The mission proposal asks ESA to fly a lunar submersible carrying RoboCrane and DAEDALUS to the crater of the Moon. RoboCrane will drop the nearly 2-foot-wide spherical DAEDALUS into a skylight. The little robot that will travel alone in the tunnels and caverns of the moon is equipped with the best technology suitable for a space explorer: a stereoscopic camera, a laser radar for interior mapping. 3D, temperature and radiation sensors and extendable arms to move rock out of its way and examine moon rock properties.
As you descend, DAEDALUS will begin to map the interior of the cave and identify notable features (and threats) worth watching out for.
Francesco Sauro, speleologist and planetary lava tube expert at ESA, said: “Looking inside the lunar cave will be a real exploration – it will reveal unexpected scientific information.
If the ESA turns this concept into reality, RoboCrane and DAEDALUS could launch as early as 2033, with plans to study the Marius Hills crater for about two weeks (about a day on the moon). However, the exact mission strategy still needs to be paused and further defined in the coming years.
This discovery initiative will not only help us understand the moon, but it can also use technology to gather important information for future Mars missions. The constant radiation on the surface of the red planet does not allow humans to live safely. However, like the moon, Mars may have lava tubes in a depression near the equator known as the equator. Hellas Planitia. It could provide the perfect refuge for humans, scientists say, if we try to trek up to the neck of the Galactic Forest.
But before we seriously think about Martian cave life, we need to hone our skills in alien orbit on the moon and make sure we know what we’re doing.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/moon-spelunking-robot-mission-from-esa-may-help-us-learn-to-live-in-caves-on-other-planets-like-mars?source=articles&via=rss ESA’s Spelunking Moon Robot Mission could help us learn to live in caves on other planets like Mars
This article is automatically translated from the original language to your language. Do not hesitate to let us know if it contains translation errors so that we can correct them as soon as possible.