Finding Water On The Moon And Mars: Humanity’s Extraterrestrial Future
By Keith Cowing
Humanity’s next great frontier—living beyond Earth—depends on a simple yet critical resource: water. Just as early explorers on Earth sought water for survival, our push to inhabit the Moon and Mars hinges on identifying and accessing extraterrestrial water sources. Recent missions and discoveries are paving the way for this monumental leap.
NASA’s Artemis program is leading the charge, with plans to establish a Moon base as a stepping stone to Mars. Artemis missions have already begun, with future launches set to send astronauts to the Lunar Gateway and eventually to the Moon’s surface. Meanwhile, Mars exploration continues to reveal its secrets. Instruments like MOXIE, which generates oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, and SHERLOCK, which found evidence of an ancient lakebed, are key breakthroughs. These technologies not only improve our understanding of water distribution but also demonstrate how we might harness local resources for survival.
This new era of exploration is about more than survival—it’s about thriving in environments once thought impossible. The search for water on the Moon and Mars will shape humanity’s extraterrestrial future, unlocking answers to questions about the origins of water and the potential for life beyond Earth.