Scientists have discovered a new renewable source of water on the moon, in lunar samples collected by a Chinese mission, that could be used by future explorers.
The water was embedded in small glass spheres in the lunar floor where meteorite impacts occur.
These clear, multi-colored glass balls were in samples collected from the moon by China in 2020.
Bulbs range in size from the width of a hair to several hairs.
The water content is only a small part of this, explains Hejiu Hui of Nanjing University, who participated in the study.
Since there are billions or trillions of these impact spheres, this could represent significant amounts of water, but the researchers say it would be difficult to extract them.
“Yes, it takes a lot of crystal balls. On the other hand, there are a lot,” Hui said in an email to the AP.
These spheres could continuously produce water thanks to the constant bombardment of hydrogen by the solar wind.
The findings, published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience, are based on 32 glass spheres randomly selected from lunar soil recovered by the Chang’e 5 lunar mission.
More samples will be analyzed, Hui stressed.
These impact orbs are everywhere, due to the cooling of molten material ejected by space rocks hitting the moon.
Water can be extracted by heating the spheres, possibly through future robot missions.
However, further studies are needed to determine whether this is feasible and, if so, whether the water is safe to drink.
This shows that “water could be renewable on the surface of the moon … a new reservoir of water on the moon,” added Hui.
Previous studies have found water in glass spheres formed by volcanic activity from the moon, based on samples taken by Apollo astronauts more than half a century ago.
These spheres can also provide water, not only for use by future crews, but also as fuel for rockets.
The United States Space Agency (NASA) plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface by the end of 2025.
The mission will focus on the South Pole, where permanently shadowed craters are believed to be filled with water ice.
Source: DN
