ALBAWABA - In a recent study conducted by NASA, scientists have uncovered evidence suggesting that the moon is undergoing a process of contraction, which may have significant impact on any future space missions exploring its surface.
This NASA study explains that the moon has been gradually shrinking over time as a result of internal cooling, a phenomenon that has led to a loss of approximately 150 feet in 2019 alone, over the course of hundreds of millions of years. This contraction process has caused the moon to experience moonquakes and faults similar to those we experience on Earth as its size continues to diminish.
Shutterstock
The implications of this shrinking moon are vast, mosly in regards to upcoming missions to the lunar surface such as the highly anticipated "Artemis 3" spacecraft, which aims to achieve the first human landing on the moon in more than half a century. Scientists are particularly interested in exploring the moon's south pole due to its potential reservoirs of frozen water hidden within craters, which could hold valuable resources for future missions.
Although the study suggests that the moon's contraction does not have a substantial impact on Earth due to its gradual pace, it may go unnoticed by humans in their day-to-day live. Despite the shrinking size, the moon's mass remains constant, indicating that tides are unlikely to be impacted by this.
Shutterstock
However, the study raises important concerns about the long-term feasibility of human habitation on the lunar surface in light of the moon's continued shrinkage, as highlighted by study co-author Nicholas Schmer of the University of Maryland.
