Many recognize the iconic photograph of Buzz Aldrin’s boot print on the moon’s surface, a lasting symbol of humanity’s “small step.” But what exactly is in the soil that preserved this historic imprint?
Understanding the composition of lunar soil is more than a curiosity—it’s critical for NASA’s Artemis program, which seeks to establish a permanent base on the moon. While scientists have a general understanding of the moon’s soil, Northwestern University mineralogist Steven Jacobsen, backed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, is delving deeper to uncover its intricate details.
Because the cost of bringing traditional building materials from Earth is incredibly high, NASA has partnered with robotics and artificial intelligence company ICON Technology Inc. to explore new methods for building a lunar outpost using the moon’s own resources. But before ICON can build structures with the moon’s soil, the team first needs to understand the soil’s exact composition, which can change drastically from one sample to the next.
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