Moonquakes might disrupt landing of humans on Moon’s south pole

Recent research has revealed that the Moon’s south pole, where NASA plans to land astronauts as part of its Artemis missions, is prone to moonquakes and landslides. This could be a challenge for both robotic and crewed missions to the lunar surface.

The study, published in the Planetary Science Journal, analysed moonquakes using data from seismometers left on the Moon by Apollo astronauts over 50 years ago. It found faults in the south polar region that may cause significant seismic activity, potentially posing risks to future missions. If not properly planned for, these quakes could affect the landing sites and infrastructure.

As more organisations aim to build on the Moon, there’s a growing need for building guidelines to deal with moonquakes. Currently, no lunar building codes exist, which could delay construction efforts. A committee from the American Society of Civil Engineers is working on creating guidelines, including how to design structures to withstand seismic events on the Moon.

Unlike earthquakes on Earth, moonquakes last much longer—sometimes up to several hours. These long-duration quakes could cause cracks in structures and make buildings unsafe over time. The lack of data on the Moon’s geology makes it hard to predict how severe these quakes will be in certain areas.

NASA and its partners are trying to develop systems to reduce quake damage on lunar structures. More data is needed to better understand moonquakes, especially from the lunar south pole. Future missions could include instruments to gather this critical information.

Engineers are also exploring how to build tall structures, like towers, that can survive these quakes. One concept, called LUNARSABER, is a tall tower that could rise over 100 meters above the Moon’s surface to help with navigation and energy distribution. However, moonquakes make it more difficult to keep such structures stable, especially in the Moon’s loose soil.