Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

Nasa finds hidden pockets of water on the Moon in breakthrough for space exploration

Nasa finds hidden pockets of water on the Moon in breakthrough for space exploration

The announcement was based on data from the airborne observatory Sofia, a modified 747 carrying a large telescope.

Nasa has announced that water has been found in the sunlit surface of the Moon, in a breakthrough that could have huge implications for space exploration.

The discover of pockets of water in Clavius crater raises hopes for exploration – and even habitation – of the Moon, as astronauts may not need to carry water with them.


The find raises hopes for exploration – and even habitation – of the Moon, as astronauts might not need to carry water with them. (Nasa)


The announcement was based on data from the airborne observatory Sofia, a modified 747 carrying a large telescope.

Clavius crater, located in the Moon’s southern hemisphere. is one of the largest craters visible from Earth.

Previous observations of the Moon’s surface detected some form of hydrogen, but were unable to distinguish between water and its close chemical relative hydroxyl (OH).

New data revealed water in concentrations of 100 to 412 parts per million – roughly equivalent to a 350ml bottle of water – trapped in a cubic meter of soil spread across the lunar surface.

“We had indications that H2O, the familiar water we know, might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,” said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at Nasa HQ in Washington.


“Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.”

“The water we observed has two potential sources, either from the solar wind or micrometeorites,” said Nasa.

Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at Nasa HQ, says the find is important for future space missions.

“Understanding where the water is will help us send astronauts to the Moon,” he said. “It's far easier to travel when you don't need to carry resources with you.

“If we can use the resources at the Moon, then we can carry less water and more equipment to help enable new scientific discoveries.”


SOFIA, NASA's Boeing 747SP-21 for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy


Sofia, the world's largest airborne observatory, is a 747 that flies high in the atmosphere to provide its nearly 9-foot telescope with a clear view of the universe and objects in our solar system.

It flies above 99% of the obscuring water vapour in our atmosphere, and “sees” in infrared wavelengths.

The announcement comes as Nasa's Artemis programme aims to send the first woman and next man to the Moon's surface in 2024.

The agency last month revealed new details of its plan to put a woman on the moon by 2024, including the cost and planned landing site for the mission.

Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine described the mission as “well within reach”, saying it is a first step toward’s America’s ambition of a manned mission to Mars.

Nasa estimates the cost of the mission at $28bn.


A view of the Pegasus barge that will be used to trasport the Space Launch System (SLS) complete core stage for Artemis 1 mission


It would be the first time people have walked on the moon since the last Apollo moon mission in 1972.

Just 12 people have walked on the moon – all men.

Nasa flew six manned missions to the surface of the moon, beginning with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in July 1969 and ending with Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt in December 1972.

The mission will use Nasa’s powerful new the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

Nasa says the spacecraft is complete, while the core stage and its attached four engines are undergoing a final series of tests that will culminate in a critical hot fire test this autumn.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated shortly

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
×