See larger version . Note that a peak is seen only on orbit 234, which is the orbit directly over the dark areas near the south pole of the Moon. This graph is our evidence for ice at the south pole of the Moon. The lack of a peak is expected for all but the dark regions on the Moon because they are all illuminated by the Sun during the course of the lunar day. T he discovery of ice on the Moon has enormous implications for a permanent human return to the Moon.
Water ice is made up of hydrogen and oxygen, two elements vital to human life and space operations.
Lunar ice could be mined and disassociated into hydrogen and oxygen by electric power provided by solar panels deployed in nearby illuminated areas or a nuclear generator. Additionally, the water from lunar polar ice and oxygen generated from the ice could support a permanent facility or outpost on the Moon. The discovery of this material, rare on the Moon but so vital to human life and operations in space, will make our expansion into the Solar System easier and reaffirms the immense value of our own Moon as the stepping stone into the universe. Paul D. Spudis' homepage. Arnold, James R.,1979, Ice in the Lunar Polar Regions, Journal of Geophysical Research , vol.