NASA Picks GIMLI Mission to Hunt Lunar Lava Tubes

NASA on October 1, 2026 selected three PRISM payload suites, including GIMLI to study the roughly 65-meter-wide Marius Hills Pit. The mission will intentionally generate seismic waves on the Moon for the first time since 1972 to confirm an underground lava tube.

• GIMLI combines ground-penetrating radar, active-source seismic, a gravimeter and cameras
• No intentional seismic waves have been generated on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972
• The roughly 65-meter-wide Marius Hills Pit may open into a lava tube
• A lava tube could shield astronauts from radiation and swings over 250°C