Powerful Moonquakes , Could Endanger Future , Lunar Missions.<br />'Newsweek' reports that the moon has slowly <br />been shrinking, causing the surface to shrivel <br />up, triggering massive moonquakes. .<br />Over the past few million years, <br />the moon has lost about 150 feet <br />in circumference as it cooled. .<br />Consequently, the surface of our <br />lunar companion has wrinkled up <br />like the skin of a dried fruit. .<br />The increasing brittleness of the moon's <br />surface has resulted in faults, which <br />could endanger future lunar missions. .<br />A paper published in 'The Planetary Science Journal' <br />reveals that these faults have been connected <br />with a powerful magnitude five moonquake.<br />That quake was recorded by <br />seismometers in a 1970s Apollo mission <br />in the moon's south polar region. .<br />'Newsweek' reports that moonquakes <br />are the result of similar mechanisms <br />that cause earthquakes on Earth. .<br />However, moonquakes can have a much <br />longer duration than earthquakes, <br />often occurring over several hours. .<br />Once humans develop lunar settlements, these quakes <br />could cause extensive damage to structures and <br />equipment and could trigger catastrophic landslides.<br />Once humans develop lunar settlements, these quakes <br />could cause extensive damage to structures and <br />equipment and could trigger catastrophic landslides.<br />The lunar seismic activity could pose a major problem for <br />future moon missions, as NASA's crewed Artemis III mission <br />is scheduled to land in one of the most at-risk areas. .<br />The lunar seismic activity could pose a major problem for <br />future moon missions, as NASA's crewed Artemis III mission <br />is scheduled to land in one of the most at-risk areas.
