NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has confirmed, for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. This means water could all over the moon and not just in permanently shadowed craters mostly near the north and south poles.
This illustration highlights the Moon’s Clavius Crater with an illustration depicting water trapped in the lunar soil there, along with an image of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) that found sunlit lunar water.
Credits: NASA
SOFIA has detected water molecules (H2O) in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the Moon’s southern hemisphere. Previous observations of the Moon’s surface detected some form of hydrogen, but were unable to distinguish between water and its close chemical relative, hydroxyl (OH). Data from this location reveal water in concentrations of 100 to 412 parts per million – roughly equivalent to a 12-ounce bottle of water – trapped in a cubic meter of soil spread across the lunar surface.
The Sahara desert has 100 times the amount of water than what SOFIA detected in the lunar soil.
Nature Astronomy – Molecular water detected on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA
Abstract
Widespread hydration was detected on the lunar surface through observations of a characteristic absorption feature at 3 µm by three independent spacecraft. Whether the hydration is molecular water (H2O) or other hydroxyl (OH) compounds is unknown and there are no established methods to distinguish the two using the 3 µm band. However, a fundamental vibration of molecular water produces a spectral signature at 6 µm that is not shared by other hydroxyl compounds. Here, we present observations of the Moon at 6 µm using the NASA/DLR Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Observations reveal a 6 µm emission feature at high lunar latitudes due to the presence of molecular water on the lunar surface. On the basis of the strength of the 6 µm band, we estimate abundances of about 100 to 400 µg g−1 H2O. We find that the distribution of water over the small latitude range is a result of local geology and is probably not a global phenomenon. Lastly, we suggest that a majority of the water we detect must be stored within glasses or in voids between grains sheltered from the harsh lunar environment, allowing the water to remain on the lunar surface.
SOURCES- NASA, Nature Astronomy
Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com
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I was thinking of a 1 tonne truck. But that's just the size of my little Ford.
A small dump truck might hold 15,000 lbs of sand. So, 1.5 to 6 lbs of water sprinkled over a truckload of bone dry sand.
I think maybe not worth going after on its own, but potentially a useful byproduct if you were already mining and processing lunar soil. Maybe enough to make up for processing losses if you were using hydrogen in the processing.
I think the missing words here are
Moon water could be turned into rocket fuel and be sent to near earth orbit to fuel Mars bound rockets. The moon escape velocity is much lower than that of the earth. And you could use a mass driver to launch the fuel containers.