NASA selects Planetary Science Institute for lunar cave study
The agency chose the institute to lead the GIMLI project at the Marius Hills crater.
By Luisa Marconi · 3dNASA selected the Planetary Science Institute to lead the Gimli research project studying the Marius Hills lunar crater.
The agency initiated the GIMLI (Geophysical Investigation for Lunar Interior Mapping) project to investigate a crater in the Moon's Marius Hills that potentially conceals a giant underground cave. The identification of underground structures is essential for the success of future lunar bases under the NASA Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
The GIMLI project is a collaboration involving the Institute of Planetary Sciences, Honeybee Robotics, and the Norwegian Space Agency. On the night of 2026-10-08, only the Grimaldi Basin on the Moon will be visible, and only with binoculars or a telescope.
The United States Naval Observatory calculated the October 2026 full moon timing as 04:12 UTC.
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