Indian Lunar Mission Discovers Potentially Abundant Ice Beneath Moon’s Surface

Data from Chandrayaan-3 suggests frozen water may exist just below the lunar surface, even in sunlit polar regions, offering critical resources for future missions.

Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander conducted groundbreaking temperature measurements in the Moon's southern polar region, revealing unexpected findings about subsurface conditions.
Researchers found that ice could exist just 10 centimeters below the surface in areas with a slight slope away from the Sun, even outside permanently shadowed craters.
Temperature measurements showed significant variability, with a 24°C difference compared to Apollo-era data, influenced by surface slope angles toward sunlight.
The discovery highlights the potential for using lunar ice as a resource for water, breathable oxygen, and rocket fuel, vital for sustaining human presence on the Moon.
These findings bolster the strategic importance of the Moon’s poles for future missions, including NASA's Artemis program, which aims to land astronauts in the region soon.