China's Chang'e 5 lunar, the fifth lunar exploration of the Asian country, made a huge discovery on the moon after it successfully received its lunar rock samples.
These rocks were then studied by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. They discovered that the lunar samples actually contain native water, which is a big deal since water is essential for humans if they want to stay on Earth's natural satellite.
Their new study titled "Evidence of water on the lunar surface from Chang'E-5 in-situ spectra and returned samples" was then published in the Nature Communications journal.
China Chang'e 5 New Moon Water Discovery
According to Space.Com's latest report, Chang'e 5 was launched in 2020, allowing China to study the moon's surface further.
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Now, involved researchers revealed that the lunar lander's spectral scan shows that the natural satellite has its water.
"For the first time in the world, the results of laboratory analysis of lunar return samples and spectral data from in-situ lunar surface surveys were used jointly to examine the presence, form, and amount of 'water' in lunar samples," said Li Chunlai, a planetary expert at NAOC (National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences).
However, China clarified that their latest discovery doesn't prove that the moon has vast reservoirs. Instead, their new space study revealed that the lunar surface contains around 30 hydroxyl parts per million.
Involved researchers also explained that the water source they identified is mainly indigenous to the moon apatite, a crystalline mineral, is the one containing H2O.
How Can Chang'e 5 Moon Water Discovery Help Astronauts
If humans want a permanent presence on the Earth's natural satellite, they need water and oxygen to survive on the moon's surface.
Experts said that China's new lunar discovery could be used to create technologies that can efficiently extract the water molecules from the lunar rocks.
If such space innovations really become a reality, astronauts and other space experts can have an unlimited supply of oxygen as well.
Meanwhile, China's exoplanet-hunting space mission suggestion was recently announced.
On the other hand, China's Shenzhou 14 mission sent three astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station.
For more news updates about China and its upcoming space activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
