Scientists have found a new way to locate ice hidden deep within the Moon's craters. These areas are very cold and dark, and finding water is important for future human explorers. Current spacecraft can only see the surface, but this new method uses the Moon's natural vibrations, called moonquakes, to find ice below the surface.
Moonquakes happen when meteorites hit the Moon, the ground breaks, or Earth's gravity pulls on it. These vibrations travel far on the Moon. When the vibrations pass through ice, they move faster than through dry dust. The ice also reflects the vibrations back to the surface. Researchers discovered that by using sensors, they can detect this speed change and the reflection. This tells them if ice is present and how much is buried.
This technology is important for NASA's Artemis program, which plans to send astronauts to the Moon's south pole in 2028. If astronauts can use this ice, they can melt it for drinking water, or use it to create oxygen and rocket fuel. This will help them survive on long missions.
To test their idea, scientists recreated the Moon's cold and empty environment on Earth. They used special equipment to study how ice forms in crushed volcanic rock that looks like lunar soil. This research helps create models to understand how the ground behaves beneath the surface.
The new method can see about 800 meters below the Moon's surface. China's Chang'e-7 mission will test this in 2026, and NASA's Artemis astronauts might use similar tools. The ice itself is also scientifically valuable, as it has been preserved for billions of years and could help scientists understand how water and Earth's oceans formed.