WHERE ARE WE GOING?
For the initial Artemis Moon missions, the selected astronauts will likely fly to the Moon’s south pole. This area has great potential as it is believed to be home to the highest abundance of water ice. If we can extract this water, it could be used to sustain human exploration farther into space, whether that’s as a human hydration source, rocket fuel resource or cooling system for equipment. Shackleton crater is a huge 19-kilometre (12-mile) depression in the Moon’s surface and a feature well worth visiting. With a permanent shadow cast in the dips of the crater, the low temperatures make it a promising location for ice to form. In fact, these permanently lightless areas maintain some of the coldest temperatures in the entire Solar System. Although it’s possible that water can be found even on the Moon’s lit surfaces, an area likely to have the highest abundance of water is the best spot to start looking for further natural resources.