Moonquakes could reveal hidden water beneath the lunar surface
Researchers suggest that seismic waves from moonquakes could be used to detect water ice buried beneath the lunar surface. This method could help future Artemis missions locate vital resources for drinking water and fuel, enabling longer-term human presence on the moon.
Why it matters
Identifying subsurface water ice is a key logistical requirement for the success and sustainability of future crewed lunar exploration missions.
Water buried beneath the moon may be detectable by listening to how vibrations move through the lunar ground.
Researchers from the University of Maryland, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Hawaii have found that seismic waves, the same type of vibrations scientists measure during earthquakes, could help locate and map ice hidden below the moon's surface.
Lunar Ice Could Support Future Moon Missions
The findings were published in Science Advances on July 31, 2026, as space agencies prepare for a new era of lunar exploration. NASA's Artemis program is aiming for crewed missions to the moon's south polar region in 2028, where permanently shadowed craters may contain valuable deposits of water ice.
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