Months after India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully orbited the Moon, scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that suggests the presence of significant water reserves in the lunar polar craters. Data from the Chandrayaan-2 Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar has revealed that the amount of subsurface ice within the first few meters of the lunar surface is approximately 5 to 8 times greater than that found at the surface. This discovery has been attributed to a collaborative effort between scientists from the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO, IIT Kanpur, the University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.
The study’s findings indicate that the northern polar region of the Moon possesses double the amount of water ice compared to the southern polar region. The researchers believe that this water may have originated from volcanic outgassing during the Imbrian period. They also suggest that the distribution of water ice is likely influenced by Mare volcanism and preferential impact cratering.
To reach these remarkable conclusions, the research team employed a diverse range of instruments, including radar, laser, optical sensors, a neutron spectrometer, an ultra-violet spectrometer, and a thermal radiometer. The findings of this study hold immense significance for ISRO’s future plans for in-situ exploration of volatiles on the Moon.
Concurrently, China has also embarked on a 53-day-long lunar probe mission known as Chang’e-6. This mission aims to collect samples from the far side of the Moon, marking the first endeavor of its kind in the history of lunar exploration. The samples collected by Chang’e-6 will be returned to Earth for scientific analysis and research.
