In one of the greatest revelations in space exploration, NASA has released that frozen water has been found on the surface of the moon. We do not know when it formed, so it may be older than we think, ranging back to ancient times.
If enough of it is usable, it may be a big help in the establishment of lunar colonies by future explorers, allowing permanent colonies and being more accessible than the reserves that were identified on Mars.
The discovery marks the first concrete evidence of ice on the Moon’ surface, according to the information recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences peer-reviewed journal. While evidence was found before, it was considered too vague in order to offer a positive answer, and some discoveries proved to be something else entirely.
NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Water Mapper found significant reserves of water near the south pole of the moon, with some minor ones being present near the north pole. As the sunlight never reaches those zones, the temperature remains at a constant -250 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a recent study, it was also revealed that the dream of colonizing Mars will remain distant for now, as we are unable to terraform the planet in order to make it more habitable for humans. Closed colonies are possible, but they would require significant investments in order to be established and maintained in the harsh Martian climate.
In the light of the new information, a wiser choice would be to shift our focus on our good old moon for now. The establishment of permanent colonies on the moon would bring a host of benefits for Earth, including access to rare materials to rare materials which are very expansive in earth. The establishment of a spaceport on the moon would also allow smoother launches towards other interesting objectives, as the gravitational pull of the moon is very weak.
It remains to be seen what e will learn in the future and if the lunar dream may become real.
As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.