Project

Capturing the Moon: the search for lava tubes beneath the Lunar surface

Lanzarote Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism

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Using 3D imaging combined with Ambient Noise Tomography we will test advanced Earth technologies to map lava tubes on the Moon.

Humanity is on the precipice of returning to the Moon, and this time we plan to stay. This means we need to develop new ways to rapidly learn about its surface and where we can best survive. Capturing high-resolution 3D data of the Lunar surface, we can create detailed virtual environments giving access to the Lunar surface to more scientists, train our astronauts, and bring the world with us to the Moon. This project is continuing research on a commercial-off-the-shelf 3D camera that uses time of flight (ToF) technology to integrate cm-scale resolution depth-mapping into a virtual reality (VR) platform for Lunar rover exploration missions which we will be landing at the Lunar south pole on the MIT To The Moon to Stay mission in 2025, the first ToF camera on the Lunar surface. To further the development of the virtual platform design and test the camera in a Lunar-analog terrain we collected colour and topographical imagery along with sensor data on Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain. The experiment benefited from the unique landscape with its recently formed lava fields, minimal vegetation, and accessible lava tubes.

We collected surface data with the 3D camera, environmental sensor data, and, in collaboration with Fleet Space Technologies, Ambient Noise Tomography, providing information about the subsurface lava tubes. Paired with 3D imagery from the underlying lava tubes we will be able to create a multi-layered virtual environment, representative of what we will find on the Lunar surface.

Thank you to our collaborators, Fleet Space Technologies!

Explore our work with Fleet Space Technologies in the Fleet NewsRoom

Objectives

Data collection:

The goal was to capture high resolution 3D colour imagery of a 100 m x 20 m surface area over the Cueva de la Paloma lava tube. This will be matched with a corresponding 3D subsurface map developed using Fleet Space Technologies’ terrestrial exploration technology, ExoSphere. ExoSphere’s smart seismic sensors - called Geodes - contain advanced edge computing and satellite modems for real-time 3D data transmission. The Geode used as part of this project is the precursor to Fleet Space’s lunar seismic sensor - SPIDER - that will be deployed on the Moon in 2026. The Geodes use Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) to measure the natural seismic activity of the Earth’s subsurface and deliver 3D imaging up to depths of 5km. We then captured the same 100 m section of lava tube from inside the tube using the 3D camera only. Additionally, collected data using the MIT designed HexSense, a rugged, self-deploying sensor that collects environmental data in a network of sensor nodes. With this data we will build a high-resolution virtual recreation of this section of the lava tube with environmental data and demonstrate the effectiveness of combining these data types for future Lunar missions where we will be searching for lava tubes on the Moon.

Virtual environment:

Demonstrating these technologies for future Lunar missions provides a technological roadmap for assessing lava tube locations for future human exploration without endangering humans or rovers as these formations are incredibly difficult to access with current technology but are critical for future human habitation on the Moon and a better understanding of our Moon’s geologic history. Additionally, similar virtual environments have been proven to be useful tools for both remote geologic exploration and training for human exploration of the Lunar surface (Paige et al., 2024). The data layering proposed for this project will be the next step in the virtual development and will augment the current capabilities.

Initial Results

Inner lava tube - 100 m length of lava tube collected in 10 m increments and stitched together in MeshLab.

Fieldwork

Above Ground

Below Ground

In Between

Post-expedition

Data processing will take place once we have returned to Boston. This will include rendering the 3D data into virtual environments and layering the ANT data onto the environment, creating a depth map within the 3D visualization. Working with Fleet, we will assess the ANT data required to match the 3D data collected within the lava tube, giving us an understanding of data requirements for future Lunar missions. The data will be disseminated via conference publication, MIT panel discussion, and social media. All 3D renderings will be made publicly available for use in our outreach programs, as well as for use by the Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo in Lanzarote, the governing body of the locations where the data was collected.

Research Topics

#robotics #environment #member company #space #technology