Scientists Find Molecular Water in Lunar Soil for the First Time

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Research has revealed the presence of water and ammonium in lunar soil samples collected by China’s 2020 Chang’e-5 mission, offering exciting prospects for lunar resource utilization and exploration. Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in lunar soil samples returned by the country’s Chang’e-5 mission to the Moon, revealing the presence of water and ammonium in the form of a hydrated mineral, China Central Television reported Wednesday. The findings mark the first time molecular water has been found in lunar soil, shedding light on the true form of water molecules and ammonium on the Moon. The hydrated mineral, which has the chemical formula (NH4)MgCl3·6H2O, was discovered in samples returned by Chang’e-5 in December 2020. Its structure and composition bear resemblance to novograblenovite, first found on Earth in samples of basaltic lava taken from a fissure eruption that occurred on Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula in 2012. The mineral is formed ………………………………