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Nasa is announcing an ‘exciting’ new discovery about the Moon on Monday afternoon.
The contents on the announcement have been kept under wraps, but Nasa have said it will “contribute to Nasa’s efforts to learn about the Moon in support of deep space exploration”. Those speaking at the event include Paul Hertz, Jacob Bleacher, Naseem Rangwala and Casey Honniball. The first three are senior members within Nasa, but the inclusion of Casey Honniball offers the biggest clue on possible contents of the announcement. He has conducted extensive research on the space agency’s efforts to find water on the moon.
Nasa is making the announcement today from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
SOFIA is the world’s largest airborne observatory. It is a modified 747 plane that flies high in the atmosphere. Water discovered still ‘may not be usable resource’
Nasa say they hope that the water they have discovered could be used for deep space exploration, but it is not yet known whether this water is accessible.
The water was discovered at the southern hemisphere of the Moon in a crater.
Scientists estimate that there is the equivalent of a “12oz bottle of water for every cubic metre” Nasa have announced for the first time that they have found water on the sunlit areas of the moon.
This is the first time water has been discovered in areas other than the shadowed areas. Scientists had previously believed that water would not be able to survive under the direct glare of the sun. Nasa’s official twitter page have provided a link through which everyone can watch the announcement, which will begin in about five minutes time
There is much speculation that today’s announcement will relate to future manned deep space exploration. In order for such a mission to succeed, astronauts will require not just fuel, but an internet connection.
Last week, Nasa announced a $14.1m partnership with Nokia of America to build the first mobile phone network on the Moon. The purpose of the network will be to provide communication for data transmission, including command and control functions, the remote navigation of lunar robots, and streaming high-definition video.
The initial system will be a 4G network, but Nokia have said they plan to upgrade it to a 5G network in the future. Nokia and Nasa embarked on a similar collaboration in 2018, but the project was never completed.
Nasa will make an ‘exciting’ announcement on a new discovery they have made from the moon in just 30 minutes. The press conference will take place on board the SOFIA observatory, which is a modified 747 plane that flies high in the atmosphere.—AFP
