Ancient Moon Volcanoes May Supply Future Astronauts With Drinking Water and Rocket Fuel – SciTechDaily

Billions of years ago, the moon was covered in hot lava that created the dark blotches that give the face of the moon its distinctive appearance today. Now, new research suggests that volcanoes may have left ice sheets on the moon’s poles.

Researchers studied computer simulations of conditions on the moon long before complex life arose on Earth and discovered that ancient moon volcanoes spewed out vast amounts of water vapor, which settled onto the surface, forming stores of ice.

A new study suggests that the moon may be awash in more water than scientists once believed. Volcanoes may have generated huge rivers and lakes of lava on the moon billions of years ago.

Recent research shows that the moon’s volcanoes likely ejected towering clouds of mainly carbon monoxide and water vapor, which swirled around the moon and created thin and short-lived atmospheres.

The researchers used estimates that the moon experienced one eruption every 22,000 years, on average, to try to put themselves onto the surface of the moon billions of years ago. They discovered that conditions may have gotten icy, and 18 quadrillion pounds of ice may have formed.

This ice should have clustered on the moon’s poles and could provide enough water and fuel to allow for permanent human habitation, which could pave the way for Moon mining efforts or possibly as a launching station for deep space travel. Since expending fuel to get off the moon and away from its gravitational pull is much easier than that of earth.

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