A study led by ISRO has uncovered compelling evidence suggesting an increased likelihood of water ice presence in the polar craters of the Moon.

Conducted by scientists from Space Applications Centre (SAC)/ISRO in collaboration with researchers from various institutions, including IIT Kanpur, University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, the study indicates that subsurface ice in the polar regions may be five to eight times more abundant than surface ice.

This finding underscores the importance of drilling on the Moon to access and analyze this ice for future missions and sustained human presence.

Additionally, the study reveals that the northern polar region harbors twice as much water ice as the southern polar region, with volcanic activity during the Imbrian period identified as the primary source of this subsurface ice, NDTV has reported.

The distribution of water ice is influenced by “Mare volcanism” and impact cratering, as suggested by the research team’s analysis using various instruments aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

This comprehensive understanding of water ice occurrence supports ISRO’s future lunar exploration plans, aiding in the selection of landing and sampling sites for missions aimed at studying lunar volatiles.

Written by B.C. Begley