Water on the Moon: NASA and ISRO Team Up to Confirm H20 Existence

In summary, excellent teamwork between NASA and ISRO has led to the confirmation that there is water, as well as hydroxyl, on the moon. This was discovered by the NASA Moon Mineralogy Mapper Module on the ISRO Chandrayaan-1 Probe. While the amount of water may seem small, there is potential for extracting more from the lunar surface. However, the cost of transporting equipment and processing the water may be more expensive than just sending water from Earth. Some possible alternatives, such as mass-driving an icy comet into the moon, have also been considered. This discovery has sparked discussions about the potential for colonization of the moon or Mars, but also raises the need for research in interstellar travel.
  • #1
bebe7
7
0
Excellent team work amongst NASA and ISRO to confirm the moon does indeed have H20.

Well done.
 
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  • #2
bebe7 said:
Excellent team work amongst NASA and ISRO to confirm the moon does indeed have H20.

Well done.
How about a link to some online source material?
 
  • #3
The ISRO site:
http://www.isro.org/satellites/chandrayaan-1.aspx

Here's a fairly concise story:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/india-finds-water-on-the-moon/521444/

And here's the good old Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan

So the NASA Moon Mineralogy Mapper Module that was on the ISRO Chandrayaan-1 Probe found evidence of water and hydroxyl in the minerals of lunar soil, something like the equivalent of a few liters of water per ton of lunar soil.
 
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  • #4
It may sound scant, but on Nova ScienceNow they indicated that there is 6 billion tons of Oxygen within the lunar surface.
 
  • #5
Practically speaking, is it currently feasible to scrape together several tons of lunar topsoil and process enough water out so that one person can stay hydrated for one day? It costs something like 10,000 USD to get one pound into orbit, so what would processing tons of lunar soil cost? Would the cost of sending the processing equipment to the Moon cost more than just sending the water? I suppose that a lot of the process could be automated and use free solar energy to run things, but its not like the water is going to just come to you. Some areas may have no water and the area around a permanent lunar base would eventually be depleted. How much water could we get from mass-driving an icy comet into NEO and what would that cost? Have we found useful water on the Moon?
 
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  • #6
I hope Richard Branson is talking to Rio Tinto & Chinalco about this!
 
  • #7
Any endeavor will take a serious financial backing as in the settlement of Jamestown. The colonization of the Moon or Mars would be wonderful and exciting and could be a platform to assist in the proliferation of the Human species, but we seriously need to think about interstellar travel. The Voyager probes are traveling at approximately 3.27 AU's a year at that rate Voyager will reach the star Sirius, on its trajectory, in 256K years...
 

Related to Water on the Moon: NASA and ISRO Team Up to Confirm H20 Existence

What is the significance of finding water on the moon?

The discovery of water on the moon is significant because it opens up possibilities for future space exploration and potential human colonization. Water is essential for sustaining life, and its presence on the moon could make it a more feasible option for long-term missions.

How did NASA and ISRO confirm the existence of water on the moon?

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft were used to detect water molecules in the moon's Clavius Crater. SOFIA's infrared telescope and Chandrayaan-1's Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument were able to identify the unique wavelength signature of water molecules.

What form does water on the moon take?

The water molecules on the moon are not in liquid form, but rather in the form of ice. The extreme cold temperatures on the moon's surface (as low as -230 degrees Fahrenheit) make it impossible for water to exist in its liquid state.

Can this water be used for future space missions?

Yes, the water on the moon could potentially be used for future space missions. It could be used for drinking water, fuel for spacecraft, and to produce oxygen for breathing. However, further research and testing will need to be done to determine the quantity and quality of the water.

Is this the first time water has been discovered on the moon?

No, previous missions, such as NASA's Cassini spacecraft and India's Chandrayaan-1, have detected the presence of water on the moon. However, this is the first time that water has been confirmed to exist on the sunlit surface of the moon, rather than just in shadowed regions.

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