Water on the Moon

  • Released Monday, June 3, 2013
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Since the 1960’s, scientists have suspected that frozen water could survive in cold, dark craters at the Moon’s poles. While previous lunar missions have detected hints of water on the Moon, new data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) pinpoints areas near the south pole where water is likely to exist. The key to this discovery is hydrogen, the main ingredient in water: LRO uses its Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector, or LEND, to measure how much hydrogen is trapped within the lunar soil. By combining years of LEND data, scientists see mounting evidence of hydrogen-rich areas near the Moon’s south pole, strongly suggesting the presence of frozen water.

LRO’s Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) has accumulated new evidence of water at the south pole of the Moon. By combining years of LEND data, scientists see a consistent pattern of hydrogen-rich soil thought to indicate the presence of frozen water.

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Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Monday, June 3, 2013.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:52 PM EDT.

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Tapes

This visualization originally appeared on the following tapes:
  • LRO/Lend: Is there water on the Moon? (ID: 2013013)
    Monday, June 3, 2013 at 4:00AM