The Moon is Full of Useful Material

In 2009 NASA gave birth to a strange sensation with experiment: LCROSS satellite and a complete rocket stages were thrown against the moon. The plume of loose debris they left behind is now analyzed, and the lunar surface appears more diverse than expected.

The long search for water on the moon was completed last year: there is water, a considerable amount. But exactly where and in what form? Scientists are keen to find out, because the presence of usable water is necessary to build a lunar base. Other substances could be very useful: for example, combustible gases, in order to make rocket fuel or the base with heating.

To find out what substances are on the moon's industry led the U.S. space agency NASA in 2009 a remarkable experiment. One stage of the rocket that lunar orbiter LRO in his job brought -A piece of metal as big as a bus- High speed was thrown into a lunar crater. Back there was the 'small' satellite LCROSS -As big as a small car- Those with an advanced infrared telescope from the impact plume from the rocket stage flew. The idea was that the plume of dust and gas that would be caused by the impact would include information on the composition of the dark lunar surface. Over one year later, these measurements are analyzed.

Freeze or evaporate

The moon is a special object. There is no atmosphere and there are plenty of mountains and craters. Some of the craters are so steep and deep that no sunlight.They are the coldest places in the solar system, because the lack of an atmosphere can never occur in a trace of heat. All the water on the moon must be in the craters are.Sunlight is the water would instantly evaporate, and because there is no atmosphere to hold water vapor, would fly directly into space. In the craters is so cold that water can exist only frozen. The big question so far has been or would be ice crystals in pure or mixed with many other elements.

The analysis of LCROSS soon brought to light that a lot of water in the moon's craters.Now it is announced that the water occurs mainly as pure ice crystals, good news for the development of a lunar base! The plume also contained traces of many others.Hydrogen, ammonia and methane for example, that can be used as fuel. There wascarbon monoxide and carbon dioxide detected. Moreover, the researchers found a number of metals in the plume: sodium, silver and mercury.

The filling of the lunar craters on the moon is probably not occur. Researchers believe that by impacts of comets and meteoroids on the Moon ended, and that by natural processes in the craters has accumulated. Thanks LCROSS we know that more than five percent of the crater fill of water ice exists. The craters are short, valuable raw material tanks for future space missions.

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