The best case would be a lava tube with strong walls found next to powerful glacial structures,” the study notes. “The colony itself, most likely, will have the appearance of separate premises, with residential, engineering, elevator and greenhouse compartments

Where are the caves on Mars?

Situated conveniently near the Martian equator, the Pavonis Mons Caves present a compelling argument for being the landing sites of future human expeditions to Mars

When astronauts land on Mars someday, they might have to live in lava caves or lava tubes to survive the harsh radiation that rains down on the Martian surface every second. But which caves could offer them the best chance of survival? This is what a recent study presented at the 55^th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference hopes to address as Dr. Anatoliy P. Vidmachenko from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine investigated where, how, and why lava tubes and lava caves could aid future Mars astronauts regarding their survival. This study holds the potential to help scientists and engineers help mitigate risks for future Mars astronauts and what steps that need to be taken to make that a reality.

Such reliable caves can be used to create the first permanent settlements,” the study notes. “They will allow you to reliably protect yourself from powerful radiation exposure. And a certain drawback will be the need to organize the delivery of water ice to provide the settlers with water resources and raw materials for extracting the much-needed oxygen and hydrogen fuel for rocket engines.”

This study comes as NASA plans to send humans back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, and eventually Mars, as part of the agency’s Moon to Mars Architecture. Therefore, adequate preparation prior to sending the first astronauts to the Red Planet would prove beneficial in increasing their chances of survival throughout the entire journey, and this study highlighted several ways lava tubes could do just that

Did you know that if we colonise Mars, there’s a big chance that human settlers would live in the many caves that lie beneath its surface?

While it might sound strange – and a bit like we’d be returning to our caveman roots – there would be lots of benefits for our future galactic colonists.

The caves would offer humans shelter from dangerous radiation and a respite from the huge temperature variations. They’d also protect astronauts and their equipment from the intense dust storms and meteor showers that occur regularly on Mars.

What do scientists say?

We’re not playing make-believe here. Scientists really have considered the value of Martian caves as permanent homes.

See, while Mars is perhaps the best planetary candidate for colonisation, it’s hardly Hay-on-Wye. Mars presents plenty of stumbling blocks that we need to conquer before we start erecting picket fences.

How did the Martian caves form?

The caves were formed billions of years ago when there was regular volcanic activity on Mars. As lava flowed from volcanoes, the surface cooled and hardened, producing roofs that could be over 90 metres thick.

Underneath, channels of still-flowing lava created twisting underground tubes. Once the lava emptied out, it left a cave.

While this phenomenon can be found on Earth, these Martian caves would be much, much larger. We’re talking  hundreds of metres across and kilometres long.

Safe place in caves of Mars
Safe place in caves of Mars
Nicole Bardabelius, a geoscientist at the University of Arizona, said that the underground part of the caves on Mars is a safe place amidst the harsh conditions of the planet. This place is near the landing site of the rover vehicle. Actually, there are many challenging situations on Mars like radiation, meteorite fall, change in temperature. In such a situation, some parts of the caves here are very important for human life.

Scientists claim
This research is important regarding Mars. Its findings have been published in a journal, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. In which it is said that the secrets of a huge liquid event have been found in the geological history of Mars. Research has claimed that there is evidence that underground cave sites on Mars have persistent cold and dry climatic conditions. These may potentially be more habitable than those living on the surface. The information comes from analysis of data by the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons, or DAN, spectrometer.

Research on fracture halo

The researchers, led by Travis Gabriel, a former NewSpace postdoctoral fellow at Arizona State University, looked at old images taken by the Curiosity rover. A vast array of widely spaced fracture halos were observed. The team of scientists found that completely silica and water were seen here. Let us tell you that in the year 2012, NASA sent Curiosity Rover to Mars to explore Gale Crater. Scientist Travis Gabriel said data from Mars showed similarities between many of the fracture halos. These fracture networks were so extensive and are most likely filled with opal. The team observed a structure of light-colored rocks around the fracture. Fracture networks may be habitable for humans, according to Travis Gabriel

Lunar caves as large as entire cities could provide shelter for human exploration.
A recent study suggests that caves on the Moon and Mars could provide ample space, protection from cosmic radiation, and stable temperatures for astronaut bases.

The new research compares hundreds of underground structures on Earth, the Moon and Mars. While lava tunnels on our planet typically range from 10 to 30 meters in diameter, some of these features can reach over 800 meters in diameter beneath the Moon’s surface – enough space to host a human colony.

Lava tubes on Mars and the Moon turned out to be 100 to 1000 times larger than the lava tubes on Earth.

Caves on Mars and the Moon are very different in terms of environmental conditions and gravity, which affect their size and stability. However, their formation and environment have more in common than you might think,” says Francesco Sauro, technical course director of ESA’s CAVES training program and professor of planetary geology at the University of Bologna, Italy.

Lava tubes form when the surface of a lava stream cools and hardens, forming a tunnel through which hot lava flows, or when lava forces its way through underground fissures. After volcanic activity stops, the tunnels remain empty, leaving caves of varying sizes in their path.

Co-author Riccardo Pozzobon says, “The lava tubes of Mars and the Moon are so huge that they could contain the entire center of a medium-sized city. On the Moon their volume can exceed a billion cubic meters, in diameter. “Could be up to a kilometer wide or as wide as New York’s Central Park.” “Despite their impressive size they remain stable and most of them are still intact,” he says.

Their size is very large due to low gravity and it is also clear that most of the caves studied have not collapsed.

Research also suggests that there are likely many voids beneath the Moon’s surface. “The Moon is a great target for underground exploration,” says Francesco, who is eager to uncover the geological secrets of our natural satellite.

On Mars, where gravity is about a third of Earth’s, lava tube ducts appear smaller – though still larger than those on our planet – and suffer more from collapse. “But there may still be viable habitats for us on the Red Planet,” says Ricardo

Lava tubes can be converted into well-preserved habitats. Like Earth, the temperature inside caves hardly changes between day and night and their ceilings protect them from harmful cosmic and solar radiation and the impact of small meteorites that hit the surface.

As promising as this comparative analysis is, more direct evidence is needed. Future human and robotic missions exploring lava tubes will pave the way for safer habitats

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