By Andy Tomaswick
May 9, 2025
Some parts of the moon are more interesting than others, especially when looking for future places where people can land and work. There are also some parts of the moon, of which we know less than others, such as the irregular mare spots (IMPS) that absorb the landscape. We know very little about how they were shaped and what that could mean for the history of the moon itself. A new mission called Lunar Geology Orbiter (Lugo) aims to collect more data about the Imps and look for lava clocks that could serve as future houses for humanity.
Imps are a number of “enigmatic volcanic land forms”, according to a new paper by Petr Brož of the Czech Academy of Sciences and its co-authors. So far, ninety -one of these characteristics have been found and are typically characterized by topographical depression, which can range from a few hundred meters to a few kilometers in width. They have two main features – a relatively smooth hill surrounded by a “Hummocky and Blockboden”.
Interestingly, they have significantly fewer catroaches than the environment, which indicates that they are either really old or very young depending on the processes they have created. Understanding these processes is one of Lugo's main missions.
Fraser discusses how to explore lava watches.
The other primary mission goal is to collect further data about Mondlavastuben. These features of the lunar landscape are also hotly debated, but could possibly be of crucial importance for the future human settlement of the moon. The estimates of their characteristics such as size and depth vary greatly and can differ dramatically whether they will be helpful for moon colonists or not.
Enter Lugo – the proposed orbiter that collects more data than ever before on these functions. In its current proposed form, it has four instruments, of which each unique data contributes to its scientific mission.
According to the paper, the first and most important instrument is a soil -penetrating radar. This instrument looks through the surface of the lunar to map the underground domain of both the Imps and the Lavastube. For Imps, the interface between the basic rock and regolith can be detailed and show the underground structure of the function. Similarly, differences in the dielectric properties between open cavities and the surrounding rock in lava tubes can determine and create an underground image that was not absorbed on the moon.
How can we explore lava tubes? Fraser tries to answer this question.
A hyper-spectral camera helps to collect age-related data on the regolith to collect lava clocks and indoor impersons. It can also carry out some basic spectroscopy, so that scientists can estimate the composition of the regolith in the areas of interest.
The last two instruments, a narrow angle camera (NAC) and a lidar sensor, are combined to create an exact topographical map of the characteristics of interest. In particular, the NAC can deliver very high -resolution images of the characteristics and help to determine their age and possibly their formation mechanisms.
The mission plan requires several passes over the six largest Imps, all of which have over 1,000 m diameter. Other, smaller Imps and lava tubes are considered secondary goals, as do other interesting geological features such as the moon couple and “floor -controlled crater”.
Lugo could provide crucial data for the design of floor-based LAVA tube discoverers, such as the fraser discussed in this video.
However, Lugo will not act alone – three other missions are planned in the next few years that would complement its scientific goals. The Dimple Lander of NASA is planned to take radioisotope measurements of the regolith's age at its landing site. Lunarleper, which is planned for the start around 2030, would also wear a soil -driven radar, but would be based on the surface rather than on the orbit and therefore have a relatively limited area. Trailblazer, another orbital mission, could also help optimize the spectra and signals required by the operators of Lugo.
Ultimately, Lugo still has to be financed, so it has a long way to go until the start. However, if it is financed, it seems good to grant many additional insights into the geological educational process and the characteristics of the moon on a detailed accuracy that we have never had before. If we ultimately use some of this data to plan the location of future moon bases, the people who live in them will certainly be grateful.
Learn more:
P Brož et al. – Lunar Geology Orbiter Concept to examine irregular mare spots and lava tubes from the orbit
Ut – the entrance of a moonlavastube that is shown from space
UT – it's time to study Mondlavastuben. Here is a mission that could help
Ut – mapping of lava clocks on the moon and Mars from space
