The Epic Race to Discover Lunar Ice at Shackleton Crater
Blue Origin and China compete to land near the Moon's south pole and explore the vast water ice reserves hidden in Shackleton Crater. Who will reach this lunar holy grail first?
The race to unlock the secrets of Shackleton Crater, an impact basin near the Moon's south pole harboring an immense reservoir of water ice, is about to intensify. Later this year, two ambitious robotic missions from Blue Origin and China are scheduled to launch on a quest to land near the rim of this lunar holy grail.
The Endurance spacecraft, built by Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin, will become the largest lunar lander in history, exceeding the size of NASA's iconic Apollo lunar module that ferried crews to and from the lunar surface more than 50 years ago. China's Chang'e 7 mission will feature a smaller lander, but the project also includes an orbiter, rover, and a hopper drone to scout for hidden ice deposits.
These two cutting-edge lunar missions will arguably be the most ambitious robotic expeditions ever sent to the Moon. The race is on to see which will be the first to reach the rim of Shackleton Crater and unlock the secrets of its vast water ice reserves.
Source: Ars Technica
