NASA's discovery of Moon rust is stranger than science fiction

The Moon is the closest celestial body to Earth and holds many mysteries waiting to be uncovered. Despite the centuries of research projects, many of its secrets remain locked away, especially when it comes to its composition, presence of water and history.

In recent years, many space missions to the moon have given rise to new discoveries that are shedding light on the Moon’s past and the difficulties of its surface. Similarly, a recent discovery of rust on the surface of the Moon has shocked the scientists because it is next to impossible, given the Moon’s lack of atmosphere and water.

While the Moon is traditionally considered a lifeless, airless world, new research suggests that, despite these harsh conditions, it might still be home to a process known as oxidation, which creates rust. A recent study published in Science Advances by researchers from the University of Hawaii and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has brought to light the presence of hematite , a form of rust on the Moon's surface.

This has confused researchers as rust typically requires oxygen and water to form, two substances that the Moon is not known to have in abundance. The research focuses on data gathered by the Indian Space Research Organization’s Chandrayaan-1 orbiter .

Rust was discovered on Moons surface

Researchers had long assumed that the Moon’s lack of atmosphere meant it couldn’t support the chemical reaction necessary for rust to form. However, detailed analysis of data from the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument revealed surprising signs of hematite. “I was surprised to find a close match with the spectral signature of hematite,” said Shuai Li, lead author of the study from the University of Hawaii. Hematite is an iron oxide, commonly known as rust, which forms when iron interacts with both oxygen and water. The discovery suggests that, despite the Moon’s airless environment, some form of rust is a surprise for scientists.


What is the reason behind rusting on the Moon?

Apart from that, the Moon’s surface is bombarded by hydrogen from the solar wind, which typically prevents oxidation. “It’s very puzzling,” said Shuai Li, lead author of the study. However, researchers turned to an unlikely source for the oxygen, which is the Earth. Our planet’s magnetic field extends into space, creating a magnetotail that carries oxygen to the Moon. This explains why more hematite was found on the Earth-facing side of the Moon.

Moreover, the Moon’s temperature extremes and occasional shielding from the solar wind during full Moon phases allow oxidation to occur. Adding to the mystery, water, while scarce on the Moon, may come from fast-moving dust particles that bombard the surface, potentially mixing with iron-rich minerals and helping in the rusting process. Abigail Fraeman of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory says, "Little bits of water and the impact of dust particles are allowing iron in these bodies to rust."