According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, rock samples collected from the lunar surface and returned to Earth by China’s Chang’e lunar probe contain crystals filled with “hydrated molecules.”
Samples brought back by the American Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s showed no traces of water, leading scientists to believe that much of the Moon’s surface was completely dry. However, remote sensing from lunar satellites has since detected water on the Moon, particularly near its colder poles.
A recent study shows that a Chinese spacecraft has discovered evidence of water molecules in lunar rocks.
The new research, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, has finally found direct evidence of hidden water on the Moon, potentially laying the groundwork for future resource exploitation and the establishment of bases on our closest natural satellite.
The researchers stated in the study that these findings also suggest that water molecules may exist in sunlit areas on the Moon in the form of hydrated salts.
The Chang’e 5 mission, named after a Chinese moon goddess, is the fifth in a series of Chinese lunar missions. Chang’e 5 landed on the Moon’s surface to collect materials before returning to Earth with its cargo in December 2020.
Since then, scientists have analyzed the rocks from the collected samples and have now discovered the presence of a mineral with the chemical formula (NH4)MgCl3·6H2O, which contains over 40% water.
This discovery will enhance China’s understanding of the available resources on the Moon, which they hope to utilize in future space missions.
The similarity of this mineral to volcanic rocks found on Earth suggests that it may have been formed by extinct volcanoes on the Moon. Moreover, not only the presence of water has astonished scientists, but ammonia, another crucial component of rocket fuel, has also been found trapped inside.
The researchers wrote in the study: “The presence of ammonia indicates a more complex outgassing history [of volcanism] on the Moon and highlights its potential as a resource for sustaining life on the Moon.”
Recently, China has successfully landed probes on both the Moon and Mars, as well as completed the construction of the Tiangong space station in 2022. China is also leading the construction of the International Lunar Research Station, expected to be completed by 2030.
