Researchers say they have discovered that the moon might have pockets of carbon dioxide that could be used to create lunar greenhouses.
A team of scientists identified the CO2 traps in a paper. This is a phenomenon that occurs when gasses like carbon dioxide collect and remain in pockets due to frigid temperatures, lack of atmosphere, and lack of sunlight, according to Salon.
When I started this, the question was, can we confidently say there are carbon dioxide cold traps on the Moon? The lead author of the study is a planetary scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. I was surprised that they are definitely there.
There are lunar Greenhouses.
The existence of carbon dioxide cold traps could present a fruitful opportunity as NASA prepares to launch the Artemis project to return humans to the Moon.
Carbon dioxide can be used as fuel, which means less resources are spent on launching supplies to future lunar outposts. Oxygen could be converted into gas for astronauts to breathe in. Greenhouses use carbon dioxide to grow plants.
The areas near the cold traps are likely to be highly desirable targets for colonization efforts.
Paul Hayne, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado who was not a part of the study, said in the release that these should be high-priority sites to target for future landed missions. There are some big questions about the delivery of volatiles on the Moon and their delivery from elsewhere in the solar system.
The moon has carbon dioxide traps that astronauts could use to make fuel and grow plants.
The location of the ice drilling mission on the moon has been revealed by NASA.
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