Scientists used to say there were millions of tons of ice in the permanently shadowed craters of the moon’s poles.
Now, HuffPost reports a pair of studies in the journal Nature Astronomy says there's far, far more potential water available. Twenty percent more, to be exact.
A team led by the University of Colorado's Paul Hayne says more than 15,400 square miles of lunar terrain have the capability to trap water in the form of ice.
However, lead researcher Casey Honniball says the molecules are so far apart that they are in neither liquid nor solid form.
To be clear, this is not puddles of water. Casey Honniball, Lead Researcher Postdoctoral fellow, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland
Greater access to water could allow astronauts and robots more places to land, and support future lunar bases.
Scientists believe the moon's water came from comets, asteroids, interplanetary dust, solar wind, or even lunar volcanic eruptions.
