New NASA discovery: water found on the moon, hopes for a strengthened base

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced the discovery, cited days ago, and announced the final evidence of water on the Moon, our only natural satellite.

The statement that ‘water molecules have been detected’ will strengthen NASA’s hopes of establishing a base on the Moon.

The objective is to use the natural resources of the Moon and ensure the continuity of this base.

Unlike the water previously discovered in the shaded craters of the Moon, the scientists detected water molecules on the side of the Moon that faces the Sun.

One of the study’s authors, Casey Honniball, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Flight Center in Maryland, said the amount of water discovered in the conference call he organized online corresponds to about 12 ounces of bottled water.

The researchers confirmed that instead of hydroxyl (OH), there is water ice (H2O) on the surface of the Moon.

NASA’s Jacob Bleacher also said that researchers should continue to work to better understand the nature of the sediment. These studies will help determine how accessible water will be available for lunar scans.

Previous research has revealed that there are signs of water on the Moon’s surface, but new discoveries show that the amount of water may be much higher than previously thought.

Speaking to the BBC, Open University scientist Hannah Sargeant said: “This gives us options for potential water resources on the Moon. Where the base is established on the Moon largely depends on where the ground is. Water”.

NASA has announced that it will send a female and male astronaut to the Moon in 2024 in preparation for manned exploration work on Mars, scheduled to begin in the early 2030s.

Dr. Sargeant stated that these findings are important in terms of “making distant exploration more sustainable” and said that “part of this is using local resources in the region, especially water resources.

The first step of the new discoveries took the telescope called Sofia (Infrared Astronomical Observatory of the Stratosphere).

Mounted on a modified Boeing 747 aircraft, this telescope traveled through much of Earth’s atmosphere, collecting unobstructed images of the Solar System.

Using the infrared telescope, the researchers determined the colors belonging to the water molecules.

Scientists say that water can be present in ‘lunar vessels’ as bubbles, or disperse like grains of earth to protect itself from harsh environmental conditions.

In another study, scientists examined the shaded parts of the Moon, also known as “cold traps.” It was thought that the water could have settled here permanently. The researchers concluded that “water (icebergs) may have been trapped in about 40,000 square kilometers of the Moon’s surface.

Dr. “This broadens the list of places where we would like to establish a base,” Sargeant said.

There are several unique lunar missions planned for the next several years. But in the long term, plans are being made to establish a permanent base on the surface of the Moon.

Open University researcher Dr. “This could have some implications. It may save us time to do some research. We are currently working on the idea of ​​the lunar base and where we are going. But now these are more promising,” Sargeant said.

Dr. “But this gives us more options and makes our destination more exciting,” Sargeant said.

Experts said that after determining how to remove ice and water, the foundation for the future of the ‘lunar economy’ will be laid.

Producing rocket fuel on the Moon instead of sending it from Earth will cut the cost. So when explorers want to go back to Earth or want to go elsewhere, they can use water to convert it into hydrogen and oxygen, which are commonly used for spacecraft power.

Refueling on the Moon also reduces the cost of space travel and makes the base on the Moon more affordable.