Water exists on the moon as water ice. But in order to maintain a human presence on Earth’s sole satellite over the long run, we must figure out how to purify the water so that it may be consumed and even used as fuel. And to do this, we need to identify the regions on the lunar surface where water ice is concentrated in a significant amount.
According to NASA, there might be water ice reservoirs on the Moon that could be purified as drinking water, converted into breathable oxygen, and used as fuel by astronauts.
Scientists at NASA are now planning to launch a satellite that will use a ‘flashlight’ to sense the presence of water.
NASA to deploy a satellite that will detect the presence of water using a flashlight
The mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket this month and will be a small, briefcase-sized satellite. The SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket is scheduled to launch the satellite on November 9.
It is thought that there is a significant concentration of water ice at the south pole of the moon. In craters that are perpetually in the shade or receive little sunlight, concentration is predicted to be higher.
A laser will be used by NASA’s “Lunar Flashlight” to illuminate the Moon’s surface
A laser will be used by NASA’s “Lunar Flashlight” to illuminate the Moon’s surface and search for water. This satellite orbits the Moon at the farthest distance of 70,000 km from the surface. While at its closest, the satellite will be just 15 km away from the lunar surface.
“The satellite will be put on a trajectory that will take about three months to reach its science orbit. Then Lunar Flashlight will try to find water ice on the surface of the Moon in places that nobody else has been able to look at,” John Baker, the mission’s project manager, said in a statement.