Which mission first detected water on the Moon in sunlight-lit soil?
Quick Answer
India’s Chandrayaan-1 helped provide key evidence for water molecules on the Moon’s surface and in the soil. NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper on board detected the signature of hydroxyl and water across sunlit regions.
The Full Story
Chandrayaan-1, launched by India in 2008, played a major role in proving that water molecules exist on the Moon’s surface. One of its instruments, NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper, detected hydroxyl and water signatures in sunlit lunar soil. This was a major shift from the older view that the Moon was completely dry. The finding helped reshape lunar science and influenced later exploration of polar ice deposits.
Key Facts
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"The Moon isn’t as dry as scientists once thought."
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