Where we'll camp when we return to the moon

Dr. Mark Robinson, a professor at Arizona State University and a co-author of a paper on this research, says the pits could be have been formed like lava tubes on Earth. Molten rock flows beneath solidified crust and later drains away. Then part of the roof collapses, creating a surface opening.

“We know from our images that some of these pits extend back at least 25 meters,” said Robinson. “Some might go back even further. It would be so easy to make a habitat in there. You’d bring an inflatable structure, and inflate it. You’re ready to go in a few hours.”