Moon Exploration Space Exploration & Science Missions NASA

NASA maps more than 10,000 lunar faults, tracing the Moon’s 45-meter shrinkage

The Moon has contracted by about 45 meters as its interior cools, and NASA scientists have mapped more than 10,000 faults across its surface to assess the effects. The findings connect a long-term change inside the Moon with geological features visible at the surface.

Discovered 2026-10-19T07:05:37.247022-07:00 | 2026-10-19T07:05:37.247022-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

Mapping more than 10,000 faults gives researchers a broad picture of how the Moon’s 45-meter contraction is expressed across its surface.
The findings link interior cooling to surface geology, informing scientific understanding of the Moon’s ongoing evolution.

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Space.com fr.de