Some hardy microbes might be able to survive on Earth's nearest neighbor — likely after making the trek there with us.
If NASA planning remains on the rails politically, technically and financially, the United States will plant new footprints on the moon toward the end of 2025.
Microbial life could potentially survive in the harsh conditions near the lunar south pole, suggested Prabal Saxena, a planetary researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. In work presented at a recent science workshop on the potential Artemis 3 landing sites, Saxena and study members reported that the lunar south pole may contain substantial surface niches that could be potentially habitable for a number of microorganisms. Earth's history — on iceIs it possible that samples of Earth's history could be lurking in sun-shy lunar craters?
Graham said that, more importantly, the study team is very aware of the many ways that humans are the biggest vector of microbes to the moon. "Rather…we will almost certainly deposit hearty spores in protected micro-niches where the max temperature and radiation protection features at that site will allow them to persist," Graham said."This is the 'survival' end of the scale with spores present."
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