Even after its retirement in 2022, a NASA mission has played a crucial role in scientists’ ability to identify water on the surface of two asteroids.

Researchers from the Southwest Research Institute utilized data from the retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a collaborative effort between NASA scientists and the German Space Agency at DLR.

This collaboration led to the discovery of water molecules on the asteroids, a distinction that had previously eluded scientists who could only detect some form of hydrogen without distinguishing between water and its closely related chemical counterpart, hydroxyl.

By focusing on four silicate-rich asteroids, which contain silicon and oxygen among other molecules, scientists identified molecular water on two of them.

These asteroids, formed in proximity to the sun, provide valuable insights into the distribution and evolution of materials in space, CBS News reported.

“Asteroids are leftovers from the planetary formation process, so their compositions vary depending on where they formed in the solar nebula,” said Anicia Arredondo of the Southwest Research Institute in a Planetary Science Journal paper.

The identification of water molecules on the asteroids holds the potential to enhance scientists’ comprehension of how water became prevalent on Earth, explained Arredondo.

This discovery may also offer valuable insights into understanding the distribution of water in other solar systems, providing researchers with clues on where to explore for potential signs of life beyond our planet.

Written by B.C. Begley