Today, we have a special STEM Fact Friday for you: Explosions on the Moon!

Yes, you read that right. The Apollo 17 crew set off delayed charges to measure seismic activity on the Moon. Each Apollo mission to the lunar surface carried scientific packages, some of which are still used for data collection today. This data is helping shape what we know about the Moon and the upcoming Artemis missions slated to land humans on the Moon in just a few short years. 

The Apollo 17 crew was the final mission to reach the lunar surface, but is also the only mission to carry a trained geologist to our only natural satellite, Harrison Schmitt. He and Gene Cernan were tasked with deploying the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) array and four additional scientific instruments. One of the components of the ALSEP was the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE). This experiment required placing four geophones spaced out and connected with cables to ALSEP to record natural seismic waves and those from the explosive charges. The data collected would help scientists understand the Moon’s interior structure.

Recently, a NASA-funded study presented evidence that moonquakes and faults generated as the Moon’s interior gradually cools and shrinks are also found near and within some of the possible landing regions for the Artemis III mission. Tom Watters, the lead author of a paper on the research, said, “The global distribution of young thrust faults, their potential to be active, and the potential to form new thrust faults from ongoing global contraction should be considered when planning the location and stability of permanent outposts on the Moon.”

The formation of the faults is accompanied by seismic activity (shallow moonquakes), which the Apollo Passive Seismic Network has recorded. The strongest of these recorded moonquakes had an epicenter in the south-polar region. How this will impact the future exploration of the Moon during the Artemis program remains unclear but is worth keeping an eye on.

Speaking of keeping an eye on the Moon, tomorrow is International Observe the Moon Night. It is an annual celebration of our celestial neighbor and culminates in many events worldwide. So why not go outside and enjoy the nearly full moon tomorrow night and make some observations? We’d love to hear how you participate in this annual observation, so please share your story with us. 

Learn more about the Shrinking Moon Causing Moonquakes and Faults.

Learn more about the Apollo 17 mission.