Chapter 1
The treasure hunt at the lunar south pole
Chapter 2
Artemis II and the American return
Chapter 3
China's robotic pioneer: Chang'e 7
Chapter 4
The global team-up: LUPEX
Chapter 5
The private sector and the future of lunar bases
YOUR GOAL
Master of The race for lunar water
Ch 1 · The treasure hunt at the lunar south pole
artiteacher Lunar South Pole Water Ice
At the lunar south pole, in shadows so deep, Precious water ice secrets the craters will keep!
artiteacher Lunar water exists as either deeply frozen ice deposits in dark craters or thin molecular layers bound to sunlit soil.
artiteacher Permanently shadowed regions inside deep polar craters have not seen sunlight for billions of years, keeping temperatures below minus 240 degrees Celsius.
BETA
artiteacher Steer your rover into shadowed craters to discover how missions hunt for lunar water ice.
Fun Fact
Moon freezers: Some permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole reach temperatures of minus 248 degrees Celsius, making them colder than the surface of Pluto.
Glossary
water ice (noun)
Water in its solid, frozen state. In late 2026, China's Chang'e-7 spacecraft will search for water ice at the Moon's south pole.
Water in its solid, frozen state. In late 2026, China's Chang'e-7 spacecraft will search for water ice at the Moon's south pole.
Quiz
What is the primary chemical element that instruments hunt for to locate lunar water?
Quiz
Which Apollo mission returned the volcanic glass beads that proved the Moon had water in its ancient past?
Quiz
Which space telescope confirmed the presence of molecular water in sunlit areas of the Moon?