Evidence of water on Moon

On 9 October 2009, the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission threw a heavy projectile to a shadowed crater on the moon while the thrower satellite stayed above to capture and analyse the plume and debris caused by the impact.

Report of that analysis now show that the Moon contains not only water but also other compounds including hydrocarbons, sulphur and carbon dioxide. Before that evidence, the moon was considered to be a dry satellite.

This finding is very interesting considering the fact that to bring 1 gallon of water from earth to the moon may be as costly as $100000. Also, with water present, the important fuel - Hydrogen can be made available, thus eventually making the moon with its lower gravity than earth an ideal launching ground for further less costly space exploration.

Now the race is becoming more interesting.. the Bush administration rightly planned to go for the moon first and then use it as a launching pad for further exploration to Mars. But the Obama administration had no choice than to scrap that plan due the unprecedented economic recession. Both were right but now with the new findings, my guess is that the Obama administration will reconsider their plan for the moon.

A good point to note is that we confirmed there is water on Mars well before confirming same on the moon in our own backyard. It's not surprising though considering all the investment made to explore Mars rather than the Moon. This too will change now.. there is still much to discover on our Moon

Some reports have already said that we may find gold, silver and mercury. It's just a matter of time now until we know more if ever there will be a gold mine there. :P

Better than a Reality TV show, Mars 500 has everything to please

"Six volunteers have climbed into a small metal capsule in Moscow as part of a three-month experiment meant to simulate a voyage to Mars. The crew — a German engineer, a French airline pilot, and four Russians — will spend the next 105 days living in a minimally furnished facility erected in a hangar on the outskirts of the Russian capital. The German said, 'I think we are going to learn a lot about each other.' A cosmonaut-in-training who will lead the mission was quoted: 'On the inside, we will have a lack of incoming information, so it's the science of sensory deprivation.' A similar experiment in Moscow virtually collapsed when a multinational team of men and women were allowed to drink alcohol on the eve of the millennium, and simmering tensions between Russian and non-Russian volunteers exploded in a fight for the affections of a female Canadian scientist. Only men are involved this time, and no alcohol. Scientists will keep a constant vigil on the team via cameras erected in each of the facility's three modules. Those who survive more than 100 days will earn a $20,000 reward. The current project is a warm-up for a much more ambitious experiment, scheduled for December, which will see another group of volunteers spending over 500 days in the same conditions. With current technology it is estimated that a return trip to Mars will take at least 18 months." The amazing thing is that 5,600 people applied to be part of the experiment.

We may not be here or will be very old when humanity will send his first space shuttle to Mars. This exploration to Mars simulation at this time will enable us to understand all the implications that such mission entails, get real-like experiences and set expectations for forthcoming explorations to Mars.

I'm so excited! Enjoy!

For full history and day to day updates go to: www.esa.int/mars500