Water discovered on the moon

Preliminary data from the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite  (LCROSS) showed that the mission uncovered water during the much publicized Oct. 9 "bombing" of the moon's surface.

The impact created by the LCROSS  rocket created a two-part plume of material from the bottom of the crater, NASA reported. The first part was a high angle plume of vapor and fine dust and the second was a lower angle ejecta curtain of heavier material that has not seen sunlight in billions of years, according to a report by NASA researcher Jonas Dino released on the government agency's official web site.

"We're unlocking the mysteries of our nearest neighbor and by extension the solar system. It turns out the moon harbors many secrets, and LCROSS has added a new layer to our understanding," said Michael Wargo, chief lunar scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. 

The new discovery "could hold a key to the history and evolution of the solar system," Dino wrote. In addition, water, and other compounds represent potential resources that could sustain future lunar exploration, according to the report.

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