Researchers from India, collaborating with an international scientific team, have detected signs of water ice within the Moon’s polar craters, according to the Indian Space Research Organization.
The study indicates that subterranean ice, located several meters below the surface, is approximately 5-8 times more abundant than that on the surface in both the northern and southern polar regions of the Moon.
This discovery is poised to significantly influence future lunar research. Scientists believe that drilling on the Moon to extract samples and ice could play a critical role in supporting prolonged human missions and sustainability on the lunar surface.
Additionally, the findings reveal that the water ice coverage in the northern polar region is twice as extensive as that in the southern pole, providing valuable guidance for planning missions and selecting suitable landing sites.
The gases released during Imbrian period volcanism (around 3.8 to 3.2 billion years ago) are considered the primary source of the subsurface water ice at the lunar poles.
[Photo: freepik.com]