Space exploration could experience a major breakthrough thanks to a recent discovery. American scientists have found hydrogen of solar origin in lunar samples. The discovery suggests that water on the moon’s surface could be an essential resource for future lunar bases and long-term space exploration.
Identifying space resources is a key factor in civil and government space exploration planning.
Hydrogen: a valuable resource for space exploration
“ Hydrogen has the potential to be a resource that can be used directly on the lunar surface if there are more regular or permanent installations said Dr. Katherine D. Burgess, a geologist in the Materials Science and Technology Division of the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). ” Finding resources and understanding how to gather them before reaching the moon will be incredibly valuable to space exploration. »
Discovery of lunar samples
Samples of lunar soil Apollo were provided by a NASA-funded research mission to NRL scientists for investigation and testing.
A research team led by scientists from the NRL Division of Materials Science and Technology continues to study lunar surfaces and asteroid samples to understand how the surfaces interact with the space environment, a phenomenon known as space weathering.
Previous tests performed on other Apollo samples confirmed the presence of helium from the solar wind in grains of lunar soil.
First in hydrogen detection
“ This is the first time scientists have demonstrated the detection of hydrogen-carrying species inside vesicles in lunar samples “, added Dr. Burgess. ” Previously, the same NRL team used state-of-the-art techniques such as scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy to detect helium in lunar samples, and other researchers have found water in other planetary samples, but this is the first publication to show in-situ hydrogen in lunar samples. samples. »
Synthetic
The discovery of solar wind hydrogen in lunar samples by NRL researchers opens new perspectives for space exploration. The discovery could enable the use of water on the moon’s surface, an essential resource for future lunar bases and long-term space exploration. Locating and collecting these resources before reaching the Moon could prove invaluable for future space missions.
For better understanding
What is the solar wind?
The solar wind is a stream of charged particles, mainly protons and electrons, emitted by the Sun. It can transport elements like hydrogen and helium to other celestial bodies like the moon.
Why is hydrogen important for space exploration?
Hydrogen is a key element for the production of water and fuel in space. Its presence on the Moon could facilitate long-duration space exploration missions by providing a local resource.
What is space weather?
Cosmic weathering is the process by which the surfaces of celestial bodies are modified by exposure to the cosmic environment, including the solar wind and micrometeorites.
NRL researchers used state-of-the-art techniques such as scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy to detect hydrogen in lunar samples.
What are the implications of this discovery for the future of space exploration?
The presence of hydrogen on the Moon could facilitate the establishment of lunar bases and long-term space exploration by providing a local source. It could also help plan future space missions by identifying available resources before arriving at the moon.
The main lesson
| Learning |
|---|
| Hydrogen from the solar wind has been discovered in lunar samples. |
| Water on the moon’s surface could be a vital resource for future lunar bases and long-term space exploration. |
| Hydrogen could be used directly on the lunar surface if there are more regular or permanent installations. |
| Apollo lunar soil samples were provided by a NASA-funded research mission. |
| NRL researchers continue to study lunar surfaces and asteroid samples. |
| Previous tests confirmed the presence of helium from the solar wind in grains of lunar soil. |
| This is the first time scientists have demonstrated the detection of hydrogen-carrying species inside vesicles in lunar samples. |
| The same NRL team previously used cutting-edge techniques to detect helium in lunar samples. |
| Other scientists have found water in other planetary samples. |
| The discovery of solar wind hydrogen in lunar samples opens new perspectives for space research. |
Reference
Main illustration caption: Katherine Burgess, a geologist at the US Naval Research Laboratory, sits in the control room of the Nion UltraSTEM-200x microscope in Washington, DC, on November 16, 2023. Burgess studies lunar grains collected during the Apollo missions to the moon. (US Navy photo by Jonathan Steffen)
Katherine D. Burgess et al., Hydrogen-bearing vesicles in space-weathered lunar calcium phosphates, Earth and environment communication (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-01060-5
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