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Moon Settlements Face Water Shortage, Scientists Say
Confirmed
In Short: Scientists warn that the lack of water on the moon could limit the size and sustainability of future lunar settlements, according to a new report.
The new research, published in the journal Frontiers in Space Technologies, investigates the feasibility of establishing large lunar cities based on the available water resources.
Martin Elvis and Jonathan McDowell from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and JPL, respectively, found that even a billion tons of lunar water, equivalent to filling Manhattan's Central Park to a depth of nearly 400 feet, would not be sufficient to support extensive settlement.
Their findings suggest that while there may be enough water for a small 'Moon Village' with a population comparable to Antarctica's winter-over population, larger settlements would face significant challenges.
The report highlights the critical role of power generation in sustaining lunar settlements, but emphasizes that water availability is the most limiting factor for the growth of lunar cities.
What's confirmed
- The new research, published in the journal Frontiers in Space Technologies, investigates the feasibility of establishing large lunar cities based on the available water resources.
- Martin Elvis and Jonathan McDowell from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and JPL, respectively, found that even a billion tons of lunar water, equivalent to filling Manhattan's Central Park to a depth of nearly 400 feet, would not be sufficient to support extensive settlement.
- Their findings suggest that while there may be enough water for a small 'Moon Village' with a population comparable to Antarctica's winter-over population, larger settlements would face significant challenges.
- The report highlights the critical role of power generation in sustaining lunar settlements, but emphasizes that water availability is the most limiting factor for the growth of lunar cities.
What's still developing
- The researchers are proposing we search the moon’s surface for microscopic bits of material shed by alien technology.
- He told The New York Times : If any other technological civilization has ever existed in our galaxy, it’s not an unreasonable hypothesis to think that particles of them are on the moon in some quantity.
- As Sofia Sheikh, a scientist at the SETI Institute, noted: We know on Earth that time and entropy take their toll on everything that humans make, and there’s a lot more to explore in how the breakdown of technological artifacts can be applied to SETI searches.
- As scientists searched for intelligent extraterrestrial life — i.e., aliens — they’ve focused on a short list of standard possibilities.
- Now a team of scientists, led by the SETI Institute, has a new idea.
- The moon would act as a “collection plate,” as it were.
- Whatever has been causing those changing gullies couldn’t have been water, so what was it?
- Scientists were shocked when they received the first images of Martian gullies.