Unveiling the Enigmatic Lunar South Pole: Stunning Images and Artemis 3 Landing Sites

Scientists are using a new NASA instrument called ShadowCam to gather information about the moon's south pole, which remains a mystery. The instrument, mounted on the Korean spacecraft Danuri, is 200 times more sensitive to light than previous lunar cameras and allows scientists to see the details of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) on the moon for the first time. These PSRs may contain deposits of water ice and other volatiles, which could be used for astronaut consumables and rocket propellant. NASA is planning to send the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the lunar south pole in 2024 to explore these shadowed areas and extract material for study. The discoveries made at the moon's south pole could provide insights into the history of water in the solar system and pave the way for future space exploration.