Forty years after space exploration first placed a man on the moon, scientists are still uncovering new insights into the lunar body.
A mission by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration fired two spacecraft into the surface of the moon on Nov. 13 and discovered a substantial amount of water in a polar crater.
These results followed an experiment in September when three spacecraft used light spectrum to show evidence of water on the moon surface. The equipment worked by picking up the wavelengths of light reflected by the molecules and matching it to a known water molecule fingerprint of spectrum. This experiment was a joint effort featuring NASA's
Cassini spacecraft and Deep Impact probe alongside India's Chandrayaan-1 satellite.
This information shows possibility and intrigue for scientists in the field.
"We used to think that the moon couldn't possibly have any water, so this finding is a big surprise to most astronomers, including me," said Texas A&M Department of Physics and Astronomy lecturer Kevin Krisciunas.
The data from the two expeditions showed water was in the polar craters, where some scientists had previously mused it could be, and along the entire surface of the moon. Evidence of water molecules and hydroxyl molecules - a water molecule missing one hydrogen atom - was picked up by the spectrometers used in the September experiment across the lunar surface.
By crashing into the polar crater, the spacecraft caused a reflux of more than 25 gallons of water. The water was found in the forms of both vapor and ice.
With such a surprising announcement, many were questioning what this means for the possibility of life on the moon and other planets.
"The finding of water to me simply means that some comets have collided with the Moon's south pole region," Krisciunas said. "Since a comet nucleus is a bunch of rocks and dust held together by ices, a certain fraction of the ices might be [water]. A certain fraction of the Earth's water came from such collisions. It stands to reason that the moon was hit by similar projectiles. Water is good for life, but you also need the right kind of atmosphere and the right temperature for life to originate."
Regardless of its origin, the location of water on the moon could prove useful in further space exploration both on and beyond the moon.
"It would make it a lot easier to make a permanent base up there if we have a source of water," said Alex Janecke, graduate student in mechanical engineering.
However, as NASA researchers gear up for more tests regarding the plume of water vapor and dust, some scientists are cautious to get too excited about the results just yet.
"Some people hope that there will be enough water there to sustain a lunar base, but frankly I doubt that there is all that much water there," Krisciunas said. "Some is a surprise, but lots of water is unlikely, in my opinion."
Further experiments are yet to be conducted, but scientists and citizens alike are excited and optimistic about the opportunity for increased knowledge of the universe.
"I think that's very interesting," said freshman nuclear engineering major Tyler Moquin, "and I think we should explore the options we have on the moon because we know a whole lot more than 50 to 60 years ago."
