Moon Announcement!
Discussion
Not at all. Since the Apollo era, it had been concluded that the moon was a very, very dry place. The formation of the moon was actually quite different to the formation of comets and asteroids so that different formation process had boiled away all the original water that had been contained in the dust cloud from which the original moon material would have contained.
Therefore, the moon itself started off with virtually NO water in its makeup. However, after the moon's formation had ended (about 4 billion years ago), subsequent impacts by water laden comets and asteroids would have deposited SOME water on to the moon. The question has always been, where is this water and how much of it is there.
The first indications that there was actually water on the moon was not found until 1997. These indications showed that this water was heavilly concentrated in the south polar regions, especially in deep, shadow filed craters.
In recent years, re-examination of old Apollo samples has indicated that water is actually present more generally on the moon than previously assumed - but in chemically bound compounds rather than as easy to extract water ice.
This survey by SOFIA indicates that chemically bound water exists in lots more areas than originally expected. Some of this "new" water seems to be trapped in glass beads which were formed when water laden meteors impacted the lunar surface. Whether this water could be used by humans on the moon is not really known just yet,.
Therefore, the moon itself started off with virtually NO water in its makeup. However, after the moon's formation had ended (about 4 billion years ago), subsequent impacts by water laden comets and asteroids would have deposited SOME water on to the moon. The question has always been, where is this water and how much of it is there.
The first indications that there was actually water on the moon was not found until 1997. These indications showed that this water was heavilly concentrated in the south polar regions, especially in deep, shadow filed craters.
In recent years, re-examination of old Apollo samples has indicated that water is actually present more generally on the moon than previously assumed - but in chemically bound compounds rather than as easy to extract water ice.
This survey by SOFIA indicates that chemically bound water exists in lots more areas than originally expected. Some of this "new" water seems to be trapped in glass beads which were formed when water laden meteors impacted the lunar surface. Whether this water could be used by humans on the moon is not really known just yet,.
For some.
There are others who are curious to know and understand the make up of our neighbouring worlds whether humans ever get to live there or not.
What we are learning is that water is ubiquitous throughout the solar system. It seems that it's actually difficult to find a body that DOESN'T contain some water. It will be interesting to find out what the situation on Venus might turn out to be as the conditions there seem so hostile. But who knows what lies beneath the surface.
And just because you aren't impressed doesn't mean others didn't find the information interesting. This is just another little piece of the jigsaw that we are slowly putting together regarding what our own moon is REALLY like.
There are others who are curious to know and understand the make up of our neighbouring worlds whether humans ever get to live there or not.
What we are learning is that water is ubiquitous throughout the solar system. It seems that it's actually difficult to find a body that DOESN'T contain some water. It will be interesting to find out what the situation on Venus might turn out to be as the conditions there seem so hostile. But who knows what lies beneath the surface.
And just because you aren't impressed doesn't mean others didn't find the information interesting. This is just another little piece of the jigsaw that we are slowly putting together regarding what our own moon is REALLY like.
Significant quantities of water on the Moon, as has been discovered, has a profound effect on future lunar habitation. Apart from the obvious uses for hydration, hydroponics, sanitation and rocket fuel, it can also make an excellent building material. Encased in a thin layer of 3D printed regolith, to prevent evaporation, water ice provides excellent radiation shielding, whilst allowing essential light and infra-red through.
A game changer.
A game changer.
The scientists were a bit less gung-ho about the nature of the water they have discovered. For water to be useful to humans, it needs to be fairly easily accessible and available in enough quantities in one place that it can be extracted without undue effort.
Lakes of water ice (as are expected to exist in the Aitken Basin near the lunar south pole) are the best bet.
This discovery seems to relate to chemically bound or encased water molecules which are spread over much larger areas. How difficult this type of water resource could be exploited is totally unknown at the moment. But it does indicate that water is everywhere in the solar system, even in places that were once thought to be completely arid.
Lakes of water ice (as are expected to exist in the Aitken Basin near the lunar south pole) are the best bet.
This discovery seems to relate to chemically bound or encased water molecules which are spread over much larger areas. How difficult this type of water resource could be exploited is totally unknown at the moment. But it does indicate that water is everywhere in the solar system, even in places that were once thought to be completely arid.
Pupp said:
Maybe the next discovery will be it does have a climate 
It does.https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.forbes.com/site...
Just not as significant as the Earth’s due to its extremely rarified atmosphere. Temperature extremes are far higher than on Earth (-173 - 127 degrees C).
Eric, that’s absolutely right of course, extracting the water from lunar breccia may prove too energy expensive to be viable in the short term, but the fact that it’s there does present more options than if it were completely arid, as previously thought.
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