Chinese Scientists Test Rocket Seismology in Volcanic Caves for Lunar Bases

Chinese geophysical and aerospace researchers are field-testing an emerging technique termed 'rocket seismology' in Hainan's dormant volcanic lava caves. By utilizing the intense ground vibrations caused by rocket launches as artificial seismic sources, scientists aim to map subterranean structures and identify stable geological formations. The analogue field trials, conducted across the Leiqiong volcanic cluster, are designed to lay technical groundwork for identifying shielded lava tubes suitable for future lunar bases ahead of China's planned crewed Moon missions around 2030.

Rocket seismology repurposes high-frequency rocket launches into powerful seismic sources for subsurface imaging without requiring dedicated explosives. If successfully transferred to planetary missions, this approach could allow landers and orbital sensors to remotely detect hollow lava tubes—critical natural shelters capable of shielding astronauts from extreme temperatures, micrometeorites, and over 90 percent of cosmic radiation.

Chinese geophysicists and aerospace researchers have begun field-testing "rocket seismology," an emerging interdisciplinary method that utilizes seismic and acoustic waves generated by rocket launches to probe subsurface geological structures, according to a report by People's Daily. The research initiative is conducted by the Hainan Earthquake Agency in collaboration with Peking University, Southern University of Science and Technology, and the Institute of Geophysics under the China Earthquake Administration. The collaborative team initially formed to provide geological safety monitoring for the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Site before expanding its scope to planetary geology in support of China's strategic objective to achieve a crewed lunar landing around 2030. According to Chen Bo, assistant director of the Hainan Earthquake Agency, the team is conducting analogue tests across the dormant Leiqiong volcanic field in Haikou, which last erupted between 8,000 and 12,000 years ago. The area contains Quaternary lava caves that closely mirror the morphological structure of subterranean lava tubes found on the Moon and Mars. Because lunar lava tubes can shield more than 90 percent of high-energy cosmic radiation and maintain relatively stable internal temperatures, scientists regard them as prime candidates for housing future long-term research stations. To map the internal and deep architecture of these caves, the team established a multi-layered observational array. Inside the tubes, quadruped robotic dogs carrying LiDAR scanners generated high-precision three-dimensional models, while ground-penetrating radar measured ceiling thickness and fracture distributions. On the surface, a 1.8-tonne vibroseis vehicle generated controlled seismic waves picked up by surrounding nodal seismometers, supplemented by airborne drone aeromagnetic surveys and distributed fiber-optic acoustic sensors. These methods feed into the broader concept of rocket seismology, which treats the massive ground and acoustic vibrations of rocket liftoffs and atmospheric re-entries as repeatable seismic sources. By analyzing the propagation of these waves, researchers aim to image subsurface planetary structures remotely to identify usable cavities and geological hazards. Chen noted that researchers at the University of Utah have pursued comparable empirical research utilizing Falcon 9 launches, validating the growing international interest in using space launches for geophysical exploration.