NASA has confirmed that there is water on the moon, and not only in deep, dark, wickedly cold craters.
Earlier missions found small amounts of ice at the harsh poles of the moon where temperatures are below -250 degrees. But NASA announced Monday that its lunar observatory SOFIA has discovered water on the moon’s sunlit surface that could be accessible to astronauts and explorers.
"SOFIA allowed us to detect water on the sunlit surface of the moon, without contamination from terrestrial water," explained NASA scientist Naseem Rangwala. SOFIA is essentially a modified 747 with a huge telescope, peering closely at our solar system.
Astrophysicist Paul Hertz said the discovery means the moon might be able to support a human colony, in preparation of an exploration of Mars.
"Water can be turned into oxygen for them to breathe," Hertz added. "It could be a fuel supply that they use later. But obviously, it can be water that they can drink or use for other purposes."
It is great news for the Artemis mission, which will place the first woman and the next man on the moon’s surface in 2024.