India’s lunar ambitions have achieved another scientific milestone, with scientists analysing data from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan-2 identifying strong evidence of subsurface water-ice beneath craters near the Moon’s South Pole.
The findings were made using the Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar onboard the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter. Scientists said the South Pole region is among the coldest and most mysterious areas in the solar system.
Water on the Moon is considered a critical resource for long-duration human missions, as it can potentially be converted into drinking water, breathable oxygen and rocket fuel through chemical processing.
Scientists added that locating accessible lunar ice deposits is essential for future in-situ resource utilisation strategies aimed at reducing dependence on supplies transported from Earth.