Geological Chronicle
Malapert is an impact crater situated near the lunar south pole, measuring 72.38 kilometers across. Seen from Earth from the side, the feature receives sunlight at very low angles, leaving parts of its interior in almost constant darkness. British astronomer T. W. Webb recorded it as the nearest visible crater to the south pole, with Cabeus to the west and Shoemaker to the south-southeast.
The rim of Malapert forms an irregular ring of peaks around the interior floor, with western and southeastern sections overlain by small impact craters. Along the southwestern rim, the terrain ascends into a 5-kilometer-high rise unofficially designated Malapert Mountain. This ridge aligns almost exactly along 0° longitude and lies within sight of both Earth and Shackleton crater at the south pole.
Because of this vantage point, researchers have proposed the ridge as an expedition transmitter site, while its reverse slope sits in radio shadow to block terrestrial radio noise. In February 2024, the robotic lander Odysseus touched down near Malapert-A during the Intuitive Machines 1 mission, targeting the satellite crater as a relatively flat, safe landing area roughly 300 kilometers from the south pole.