Looking For Lunar Ice

One big plus in establishing a lunar base would be the presence of water ice on the Moon's surface. Given that the Moon has no appreciable atmosphere, ice in the vaccuum would seem unlikely. Yet, over the past few years, there have been indications of just that in deep craters near the poles, where the heat of the Sun never reaches.

A NASA radar, which is part of the suite of scientific instruments aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe, will look at the floors of craters that might contain ice. Over the next few months, the question of lunar ice could be answered.

It's an important subject. Substantial amounts of lunar ice could make supporting a human presence on the Moon easier. The ice could be melted into water for drinking, etc. The water could also be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, which combined differently is a rocket fuel. The absence of lunar water ice would mean water would need to be transported to the Moon.