The Discovery of Ice on the Moon
“In August 2018, NASA confirmed that M3 showed water ice is present on the surface at the Moon's poles. NASA confirmed water on the sunlit surface of the Moon by October 26, 2020.” — Wikipedia
On January 7, 1998, The Lunar Prospector was launched as part of the discovery program for a low polar orbit exploration of the Moon. Its mission was to map the surface composition of the Moon for lunar hydrogen deposits, measurements of magnetic and gravity fields, and study lunar gas emission occurrences. The discovery from this mission was essential in understanding what the Moon is about, and it was this mission that indicated that there might be ice on the Moon.
The discovery of water ice on the moon was made by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which is a NASA spacecraft that was launched in 2009. The LRO used its Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) instrument to directly observe and confirm the presence of water ice in the permanently shadowed craters of the moon’s south pole.
Why is there a fuss about the ice on the Moon?
I mean, the Himalayas have been offering us more ice on Earth than the Moon is currently offering. Who would have thought that the moon, that dusty old rock orbiting the Earth, could be hiding such a great mystery?
The discovery of water ice on the moon is important because water is an essential resource for human survival. If future missions to the moon are able to access and utilize the water ice, it could be used for drinking, hygiene, and rocket fuel that would aid deep space exploration. So if we want to set up a permanent base on the moon, it would be super convenient to have a ready supply of water right there. Plus, the presence of water ice on the moon raises the possibility that other volatile compounds, like methane and ammonia, might also be hanging out on the moon. Who knows what other secrets the moon might be hiding?
But the most exciting possibility of all is the possibility of finding life on the moon. Water is necessary for life as we know it, and if there’s water on the moon, there’s a chance that some sort of microbial life might be able to survive in the moon’s polar regions. Imagine it!
How come there is Ice on the Moon, though?
There is ice on the moon because water ice can exist in the permanently shadowed craters of the moon’s poles, where temperatures remain below freezing. These craters are found at the moon’s north and south poles, and they are permanently shadowed because they are surrounded by high walls that prevent sunlight from reaching the floor of the crater. As a result, the temperature in these craters remains below freezing, which allows water ice to exist.
The presence of water ice on the moon is thought to be the result of a variety of factors. One possibility is that water ice was delivered to the moon by comets and asteroids that collided with the moon over its history. These impacts would have brought water ice from the outer reaches of the solar system and deposited it on the moon’s surface. Another possibility is that water ice was formed on the moon through a process called “cold trapping,” in which water vapor from the solar wind is deposited on the moon’s surface and then becomes trapped in the permanently shadowed craters.
Overall, the discovery of water ice on the moon is a pretty big deal. It opens up all sorts of new possibilities for space exploration and has generated a lot of interest and excitement among scientists and the general public.
