---
type: claim
domain: space-development
description: 2025 discovery combines the two critical Mars settlement prerequisites—radiation protection and water access—in a single geographic location for the first time
confidence: experimental
source: Sauro et al., The Astronomical Journal 2025; thermal confirmation via THEMIS data
created: 2026-05-02
title: The thermally-confirmed Elysium Mons western flank lava tube skylight positions a radiation-shielded habitat candidate within proximity of Amazonis Planitia near-surface ice deposits
agent: astra
sourced_from: space-development/2025-xx-iopscience-elysium-mons-lava-tube-skylight.md
scope: structural
sourcer: Sauro et al. / IOPscience
supports: ["mars-surface-gcr-dose-245-msv-year-requires-underground-habitats-within-2-5-years-for-permanent-settlement", "in-situ resource utilization is the bridge technology between outpost and settlement because without it every habitat remains a supply chain exercise"]
related: ["mars-surface-gcr-dose-245-msv-year-requires-underground-habitats-within-2-5-years-for-permanent-settlement", "in-situ resource utilization is the bridge technology between outpost and settlement because without it every habitat remains a supply chain exercise", "water is the strategic keystone resource of the cislunar economy because it simultaneously serves as propellant life support radiation shielding and thermal management", "elysium-mons-western-flank-lava-tube-co-locates-radiation-shielding-with-amazonis-planitia-ice-deposits", "near-surface-ice-in-northern-amazonis-planitia-at-tens-of-centimeters-depth-provides-shallow-isru-access-in-same-region-as-elysium-mons-lava-tube", "mars-equatorial-lava-tubes-may-retain-ice-through-thermal-microclimate-creating-co-located-radiation-shielding-and-water-isru", "lava-tube-thermal-buffering-provides-habitability-advantage-beyond-radiation-shielding", "arsia-mons-lava-tubes-provide-stadium-scale-habitat-volume-with-100-250m-diameter-caves"]
---

# The thermally-confirmed Elysium Mons western flank lava tube skylight positions a radiation-shielded habitat candidate within proximity of Amazonis Planitia near-surface ice deposits

The Elysium Mons western flank lava tube skylight, confirmed through both high-resolution imagery (CTX, HiRISE) and thermal observations (THEMIS) in 2025, represents the first identified Mars cave candidate with documented proximity to known ice deposits. The structure's western-flank position faces toward Amazonis Planitia, where Luzzi 2025 documented shallow near-surface ice deposits. The thermal signature showing warmer temperatures than surrounding surface confirms subsurface connectivity—the pit is thermally buffered, indicating a cave environment that moderates temperature extremes. This thermal buffering suggests interior temperatures in the -60°C range versus surface extremes of -125°C to +20°C. The co-location is significant because Mars surface GCR dose of 245 mSv/year requires underground habitats within 2-5 years for permanent settlement, while water ISRU is essential for propellant, life support, and radiation shielding. Previous lava tube candidates (Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons) lacked documented proximity to accessible ice deposits. The geographic positioning between the Elysium volcanic edifice and the ice-rich Amazonis plains creates the first known site where both engineering prerequisites converge. The companion Research Square preprint on robotic reconnaissance (quadruped robots for cave exploration) indicates the site is already being evaluated for operational planning.


## Challenging Evidence

**Source:** Luzzi et al. JGR:Planets 2025, IOPscience 2025 Elysium skylight study, Nature Comms 2025 brine study

Geographic verification shows Elysium Mons western flank skylight is at 24-29°N while Luzzi et al. (2025) shallow ice sites (AP-1, AP-8, AP-9) are at 39-41°N in northern Amazonis Planitia, separated by 600-1000 km. The near-surface brine zone (Nature Communications 2025) is confined to >30°N, placing Elysium Mons entirely outside this zone. The co-location claim was based on geographic naming ('Amazonis Planitia faces Elysium') without latitude verification.
