Chinese Chang’E-5 found water marks on samples from the surface of the Moon

The analysis of samples of lunar rocks and dust collected by the Chinese mission Chang’E-5revealed traces of the presence of water in the minerals, although not in large quantities.

According to scientistseven the wettest lunar soil remains drier than Earth’s driest desert.

The boat had landed on the moon in December 2020 and after two weeks sent to Earth samples from the lunar surface in the area of ​​Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms). The samples were now found, after analysis in Chinese laboratories, to contain hydroxyl (molecules with one oxygen atom and one hydrogen), according to researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the journal Nature Communications.

These molecules are key components of water, and the most common result when water molecules react chemically with another substance. According to lead researcher Li Chunlai, hydroxyl is for water what smoke is for fire, that is, a valid indication of its existence. The content, however, was not high, as it was estimated at water levels of about 28.5 parts per million (ppm), although some parts of the lunar mineral apatite – which is also present on Earth – contained up to 179 ppm.

It is not yet clear whether this mineral-bound water could be used by astronauts on the Moon in the future, as large volumes of lunar soil would need to be treated to extract a sufficient amount of water. Chinese scientists are planning further lunar eclipses explorations with subsequent missions Chang’E-6 and Chang’E-7, which will continue to search for water on the Moon.