A study in Nature Astronomy reveals that China’s Chang’e-5 lunar probe detected trace amounts of water in moon soil samples.

These findings, from a higher lunar latitude, suggest water may persist on the moon as hydrated salts.

The Chang’e-5 mission, which returned to Earth in 2020, was the first lunar sample collection in 40 years, following the Chang’e-4’s 2019 landing on the far side of the moon, Phys.org has reported.

China’s space program, aiming to compete with the U.S. and Russia, has also developed a space station and plans to send a crewed mission to the moon by 2030.

Written by B.C. Begley