Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon that could be used to shelter future explorers
Cape Canaveral, Jul 15: Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, and suspect there are hundreds more that could house future astronauts.
An Italian-led team reported Monday that there's evidence for a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon. It's located at the Sea of Tranquility, just 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Apollo 11's landing site.
The pit, like the more than 200 others discovered up there, was created by the collapse of a lava tube.
Researchers analyzed radar measurements by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and compared the results with lava tubes on Earth. Their findings appeared in the journal Nature Astronomy.
The radar data reveals only the initial part of the underground cavity, according to the scientists. They estimate it's at least 130 feet (40 metres) wide and tens of yards (metres) long, probably more.
“Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence" of one, Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento, wrote in an email.
Most of the pits seem to be located in the moon's ancient lava plains, according to the scientists. There also could be some at the moon's south pole, the planned location of NASA's astronaut landings later this decade. Permanently shadowed craters there are believed to hold frozen water that could provide drinking water and rocket fuel.
During NASA's Apollo program, 12 astronauts landed on the moon, beginning with Armstrong and Aldrin on July 20, 1969.
The findings suggest there could be hundreds of pits on the moon and thousands of lava tubes. Such places could serve as a natural shelter for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays and solar radiation as well as from micro-meteorite strikes.
Building habitats from scratch would be more time-consuming and challenging, even when factoring in the potential need of reinforcing the cave walls to prevent a collapse, the team said.
Rocks and other material inside these caves — unaltered by the harsh surface conditions over the eons — also can help scientists better understand how the moon evolved, especially involving its volcanic activity.
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Middle East crisis: Indian airlines cancel 350 flights on Sunday
New Delhi/ Mumbai (PTI): Indian airlines cancelled 350 international flights on Sunday as operational disruptions continued for the second day due to the escalating Middle East conflict.
With airspace closures in the Middle East and security concerns, Air India and IndiGo have also cancelled their flights that use these airspaces.
"In view of airspace restrictions arising from geopolitical developments in the Middle East, a total of 350 flights operated by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled on 01.03.2026," the civil aviation ministry said in a post on X at 1634 hours on Sunday.
At 0125 hours, the ministry in an X post said that 444 international flights were expected to be cancelled on Sunday due to airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East.
On February 28, the ministry said 410 flights of domestic carriers were cancelled.
Air India and SpiceJet shared details about the number of flights cancelled through X posts.
Air India said Sunday morning it had cancelled a total of 22 international flights, besides 28 it had announced on February 28 due to the Middle East crisis.
According to SpiceJet, 33 flights to and from the UAE have been cancelled.
Air India Express extended the suspension of flights to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates until 2359 hours IST on March 2.
IndiGo said the temporary suspension of select international flights that use Middle East airspace, has been extended until 2359 hours IST on March 2.
All airlines provided the updates through posts on X while Air India Express issued a statement.
Meanwhile, the ministry also said it was closely coordinating with airlines, airport operators and other stakeholders to proactively monitor the situation and facilitate necessary passenger support.
Airlines are also offering waivers for rescheduling and cancellation charges.
Air India and Air India Express said that for bookings made on or before February 28 with travel originally planned up to March 5, passengers can reschedule flights at no additional charge or request a full refund.
This is for travel to and from the Middle East, which has been impacted due to the ongoing situation.
At least 225 flights were cancelled at Delhi and Mumbai airports on Sunday. These include departures and arrivals.
