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Research of lunar water-ice and exploration for china’s future lunar water-ice exploration - EurekAlert

Exploring the distribution and source of water-ice in the permanent shadow at the lunar poles, as well as the composition of volatiles, is of great significance to understand the migration and retention process of volatiles on the Moon, the migration process of water in the solar system, and the origin theory of the Moon and Earth–Moon system. Since the 1990s, the existence of water-ice in the permanent shadow areas of the lunar polar regions and the problem of water in the early lunar period have become the hot spot of international lunar exploration. Chang'E-7, the first mission of CLEP phase IV, is scheduled to carry out detailed scientific surveys in the south pole of the Moon, one of whose scientific objectives is to probe the source, content, and distribution of lunar water-ice. In a research paper recently published in Space: Science & Technology, authorities from National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Science, Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, and Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, China National Space Administration together put forward the scientific mission and payloads configuration of lunar water-ice exploration in China's follow-up lunar exploration project after reviewing the international lunar water-ice research results, which can provide reference for future lunar exploration missions.

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