China plans to send a flying robot to the moon’s south pole next year to search for frozen water that could be key to lunar expeditions, part of an ambitious space program. The “flying detector” will be sent to the moon’s south pole on the Chang’e-7 mission, which aims to put the country a step closer to landing astronauts on the moon within the next five years.
China has made a huge effort to establish itself as a major space player that countries, including the United States, are seeking not only for scientific benefits but also for resources and national security.
Finding water on the moon is nothing new. Last year, Chinese scientists found water in samples from the Chang’e-5 probe, while Indian and NASA spacecraft have spotted what is thought to be water on the moon’s surface.
Some scientists believe that only water, which is thought to be stored deep in craters on the moon’s edge, could help future expeditions by serving as a source of water for astronauts.
According to astronauts and scientists from Beijing, the search for lunar ice is part of China’s preparations to build a research base at the south pole of the Earth’s satellite. The flying robot will conduct observations in one or two lunar caves.
The discovery of glacial deposits could help populate the moon and reduce the cost of lunar missions, leaving open the possibility of life beyond our planet. Other experts have previously told CNN that despite the discoveries, we still cannot know whether we can plant crops on the moon or obtain drinking water because it depends on the amount of water and its chemical form.
