PARIS - There may be far more water on the Moon than previously thought, according to two studies published Monday raising the tantalising prospect that astronauts on future space missions could find refreshment - and maybe even fuel - on the lunar surface.
That is of particular interest to Nasa, which is planning a human mission to the Moon in 2024 and wants to build a sustainable presence there by the end of the decade to prepare for onward travel to Mars. Using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy Airborne Telescope, researchers used a more precise wavelength than had been used before - 6 microns instead of 3.
Researchers believe they originate from solar winds or micro-meteorites and think they might either be trapped in beads of glass or within the grains of the lunar surface to protect them from the harsh atmosphere. More on this topic The authors say this could mean that approximately 40,000 km2 of the lunar surface has the capacity to trap water.
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