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NASA develops a new type of solar lunar rover for polar water resources
NASA has developed a new type of solar-powered lunar rover designed to explore and analyze potential water ice resources in the moon's south pole. This innovative vehicle aims to investigate how liquid water might be produced directly on the moon, offering crucial insights for future lunar missions.
According to a recent report from NBC, NASA is working on a project called RESOLVE (Resvironment and Environmental Science and Resource of Oxygen and Lunar Surface Volatile), which is set to launch in November 2017. The mission will focus on detecting and analyzing water and other volatile materials in the lunar south pole region. The goal is not only to locate water ice but also to test methods for extracting and using it on-site.
The project faces significant challenges, including a tight budget of just $250 million, which includes all costs related to the journey from Earth to the Moon. To conserve energy, the rover will rely on solar power, but the polar regions receive sunlight only in short bursts—about 2.5 days at a time. After that, the rover will need to "sleep" during the long dark period before the next light cycle.
William Larson, a former NASA project manager, emphasized the importance of using solar power due to financial constraints. He noted that while nuclear power would be more efficient in the harsh lunar environment, it is currently not feasible. Despite these limitations, the team is determined to complete the mission within a very tight schedule.
Once the lander arrives, the rover will use its instruments to detect hydrogen atoms, then drill about one meter into the surface to collect samples. These samples will be analyzed for water content and other volatile substances. The equipment on board will also attempt to extract liquid water by heating the soil. Additionally, the mission will test whether oxygen and hydrogen can be combined to produce water on the Moon.
Larson highlighted that this is the most challenging lunar rover mission in NASA’s history, both in terms of technical complexity and time constraints. A backup plan is already in place in case no water is found, focusing instead on testing oxygen extraction from lunar soil.
The RESOLVE mission builds on previous efforts like the LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) and LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) projects. In 2009, LCROSS impacted a crater near the moon’s south pole, revealing that the material inside contained approximately 5% water. However, the origin of this water remains unknown, and RESOLVE aims to uncover the answer.
David Paige, a scientist from UCLA, explained that the moon’s polar regions are extremely cold and could potentially hold large amounts of volatile substances. While the presence of water is still uncertain, the mission will provide critical data on the composition of the lunar surface.
At a recent seminar, Larson shared details about the project, noting that NASA will collaborate with the Canadian Space Agency. A field simulation is planned for the summer in Hawaii to prepare for the real mission. This effort represents a major step forward in understanding the moon’s resources and paving the way for future human exploration.