NASA Funds GIMLI Mission to Probe Lunar Lava Tubes

The project, known as GIMLI—Geophysical Investigation of the Marius Hills Pit Lava Tube and Interior—is spearheaded by the Planetary Science Institute under NASA’s PRISM program. While satellite imagery previously confirmed the pit’s existence, researchers currently lack the data to prove the void extends into a cavernous underground system. To bridge this gap, the mission will deploy a suite of instruments including ground-penetrating radar, seismic sensors, and a gravimeter to map the subsurface.

Project lead Than Putzig intends to reintroduce active-source seismic methods to lunar exploration, a technique largely absent since the Apollo era. By integrating these seismic readings with gravity measurements and high-resolution photography of the pit walls, the team aims to characterize the Moon’s ancient volcanic history. These lava tubes, formed billions of years ago, offer a potential structural sanctuary for long-term human outposts, shielding inhabitants from micrometeorite impacts and the intense solar radiation prevalent on the lunar surface.