By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

Science, Space & Technology

Space Science Digital
Contact
Search
  • Home
  • Environment

    observe one of winter’s best planetary nebulae

    February 20, 2023

    Leo’s magical galaxy pairing

    March 27, 2023

    See Mercury’s sodium tail in specially filtered photographs

    April 11, 2023

    Black hole and its jet imaged together for 1st time

    May 2, 2023
  • Space Flight

    West Coast launch puts 48 more Starlink internet satellites in orbit

    July 8, 2023

    Distant planet may be the first known to share its orbit with another

    July 19, 2023

    Our solar system might be 1.1 million years older than we thought

    August 1, 2023

    Russia chases former Soviet glory with Luna 25 moon mission

    August 10, 2023
  • Cosmology

    More Evidence of Massive First Generation Stars

    June 15, 2023

    Parker Solar Probe Makes a Surprising Discovery About the Source of the Geminid Meteor Shower

    June 21, 2023

    Check out the Cool New Designs for Europe’s Future Spacesuits

    June 27, 2023

    Dark Matter Might Interact in a Totally Unexpected Way With the Universe

    July 1, 2023
  • Latest
  • About Us
Reading: Water on the moon: Astronauts could mine water from glass beads
Share
Aa
Space Science DigitalSpace Science Digital
  • Environment
  • Space Flight
  • Cosmology
  • Technology
Search
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Environment
    • Technology
    • Cosmology
    • Space Flight
  • More Foxiz
    • Blog Index
    • Forums
    • Complaint
    • Sitemap
Follow US
© 2023 Space Science Digital. All Rights Reserved.
Space Science Digital > Blog > Space Flight > Water on the moon: Astronauts could mine water from glass beads
Space Flight

Water on the moon: Astronauts could mine water from glass beads

By Ben French March 27, 2023 3 Min Read
Share


There is water on the moon, but you have to mine it first

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Tiny glass beads on the moon formed by meteoroid impacts might collectively contain as much water as there is in ice near the moon’s poles, and could be harvested for water by future moon expeditions.

Mahesh Anand at the Open University in Milton Keynes, UK, and his colleagues analysed samples returned to Earth by China’s Chang’e-5 lunar probe and found glass beads, known as spherules, that are formed in the extremely hot aftermath of meteoroids hitting the lunar surface.

Using microscopes and spectroscopy to analyse the glass beads, the team found they contained water with the same hydrogen isotopes – atoms of the same element that differ by the number of neutrons they contain – as those found in charged particles ejected by the sun. Previous research has shown that spherules can contain oxygen, so the researchers suspect that hydrogen from the sun combined with this oxygen to make water.

The moon is constantly being pummelled by meteoroids because it has no atmosphere, meaning these beads should be scattered across its surface. The team estimates that there could be around 300 billion tonnes of water stored within them. That is comparable to the amount of water ice on the moon in permanently shadowed craters near the lunar poles, and is potentially much easier to access.

“This is not only scientifically interesting, but I think it is going to be of quite some interest for those who are planning to actually send missions to the moon, to extract resources such as water for enabling more sustainable and longer-term exploration,” says Anand.

These beads also showed evidence of having lost water near their edge, even in the relatively cold temperatures of the moon — which is good news for astronauts. “If, at the daytime temperature of the moon, you have evidence that, actually, some of the water is getting diffused out of these glass beads, then it shouldn’t be too difficult to actually heat this material and expect that some water would be released,” says Anand.

“The hydrogen, and therefore water, content of these glasses is remarkably high,” says Sara Russell at the Natural History Museum in London. “This is a very important study: since the abundance of impact-produced spherules is high on the moon, as well as on several other celestial bodies, spherules are likely a major method for water storage across our solar system.”

Topics:

TAGGED: astronauts, Beads, Glass, Moon, the moon, water

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Ben French March 27, 2023
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

[mc4wp_form]

HOT NEWS

West Coast launch puts 48 more Starlink internet satellites in orbit

Space Flight
July 8, 2023

Is that this black gap jet making stars explode?

Again to Article Listing Greater than twice the anticipated quantity of novae have been discovered…

October 27, 2024

NASA Says Spacecraft Crash Test Successfully Changes Asteroid’s Orbit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft that plowed into a small, harmless asteroid millions…

October 11, 2022

World-Saving Spacecraft Passes Test

NASA says its DART spacecraft successfully shifted the path of an asteroid. For us earthlings,…

October 11, 2022

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 first-stage booster on record-breaking nineteenth flight

Falcon 9 booster 1058 stands prepared for launch Friday evening at House Launch Complicated 40 at Cape Canaveral House Power…

Space Flight
December 23, 2023

Questions Stay on Chinese language Rocket That Created an Uncommon Double Crater on the Moon

In November, we reported how an influence on the Moon from a Chinese language Lengthy March rocket booster created an…

Cosmology
December 22, 2023

The Sky This Week from December 22 to 29: A Christmastime Chilly Moon

This 12 months, a Full Chilly Moon will grace the skies the day after Christmas. Credit score: ChrisGoldNY (Flickr) Friday,…

Cosmology
December 22, 2023

See the moon and Jupiter take pleasure in their remaining meet-up of 2023 tonight

The moon will meet up with Jupiter, the photo voltaic system's largest planet, for the final time in 2023 on…

News
December 22, 2023
We use our own and third-party cookies to improve our services, personalise your advertising and remember your preferences.
  • Jobs Board
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Exclusives
  • Learn How
  • Support
  • Solutions
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Editorial Policy
  • Marketing Solutions
  • Industry Intelligence

Follow US: 

Space Science Digital

Welcome to spacescience.digital, A source for the latest news and developments in the exciting field of space science. Our blog covers a wide range of topics, from the latest space missions and discoveries to updates on technology and scientific breakthroughs. We are passionate about sharing the wonders of the universe with our readers and providing them with engaging and informative content. Join us on this fascinating journey as we explore the mysteries of space and the frontiers of human knowledge.

© 2024 Space Science Digital. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?