Water In Lunar Soil

There is more water on the moon in more locations than originally thought, a discovery that may bolster NASA's long-held goal of setting up an outpost there, a researcher said Thursday.

One ton of the moon's surface -- in which the water's ingredients are held -- could yield as much as 32 ounces, or one quart, of water, according to three reports from research teams who studied data from three spacecrafts.

Although that amount isn't large, said geological sciences professor Jack Mustard, the findings show "there are ways you could convert these amounts of water into higher amounts" that could support human activity.

The water was discovered in rocky environments and in craters, Mustard said.

"It's in more places and in different places than were inferred previously," he said.

Since the Apollo missions began in the 1960s, scientists have believed the moon was virtually dry. Only trace amounts of water were found in rocks and soil brought back to Earth, and that water may have resulted from contamination during the retrieval process, scientists said. –For complete story see CNN