Seismic Activity on the Moon Could Pose Risk to Long-Term Lunar Infrastructure - Tech and Science Post

Seismic activity on the moon could pose risk to long-term lunar infrastructure - Tech and Science Post

A new paper reveals that ground acceleration from moonquakes, rather than meteor impacts, was responsible for shifting lunar landscapes at the moon’s Taurus-Littrow valley, where Apollo 17 astronauts landed in 1972. The study also pinpointed a possible cause for those surface changes and assessed damage risk using new models of the quakes—findings that may impact the safety of future lunar missions and the establishment of long-term bases on the…

Moonquake hazards raise concern for future long-term lunar missions

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 01, 2025 A new study has identified moonquakes-not meteor strikes-as the primary cause of surface disturbances in the Taurus-Littrow valley, the Apollo 17 landing site. The research suggests that ground shaking from these quakes, which repeatedly struck over millions of years, triggered boulder falls and landslides that reshaped the lunar terrain. Published in Science Advances, the study was co-aut

Scientists reveal unexpected threat to Artemis missions: Study shows seismic activity on the Moon

New research shows that ancient moonquakes, not meteorite impacts, were responsible for altering the landscape at the Apollo 17 landing site. The finding poses key risks for future human missions.Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt samples a boulder at Station 7, located at the base of the North Massif in the Taurus-Littrow Valley. This large rock was dislodged by a powerful moonquake that occurred about 28.5 million years ago. The quake lik…