Senior researcher Norbert Schorhofer from the Institute of Planetology conducted a new study of water ice on the Moon. The results are published in the journal Science Developments.

Many of the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions (PSRs), long thought to be ancient water ice reservoirs, turn out to be much younger than previously thought.

“This not only changes our understanding of the geology of the Moon, but also where and how much ice we can find,” the study author explained. The results of the research have far-reaching implications for future missions, particularly those aiming to use lunar ice as a potential source for life support and fuel production.

One of the intriguing elements of the new study is its consistency with an important study published last year by a group of French scientists. Previous studies have provided a full understanding of how the distance between the Earth and the Moon changes over time. Schorghofer noted that when he learned about this preliminary study, he immediately realized its far-reaching impact on the search for lunar ice and began his work.

It is believed that the ancient Moon was bombarded by water-bearing comets. There was also volcanic activity on it that led to ice formation 4.5 billion years ago. But the new study found that PSRs only began forming about 3.4 billion years ago. “The water we find today in the polar regions cannot date from the first days of the Moon’s existence. Our data show that the average age of the PSR is no more than 1.8 billion years. There are no ancient water ice reservoirs on the Moon,” explains the scientist.

Water ice on the Moon has long been considered the most important element of human life support during long stays on the moon and even a source of fuel for spacecraft. Regions of the PSR, where sunlight was always blocked, were thought to have been frozen for billions of years. These black pockets have been the main focus of various research missions. Source