Rust on the Moon? Far-side dirt says yes, actually

A Chinese-led team of boffins has uncovered tiny grains of hematite and maghemite in materials scooped from the Moon's far-side South Pole-Aitken Basin by the Chang'e 6 probe – iron oxides more at home on rusty tools on Earth than on our bone-dry satellite. Until now, the lunar surface was thought to be a strongly reducing …

[phuzz]

In the grand space-race narrative, it also underscores how the China National Space Administration (CNSA) is pushing sample return science into territory previously occupied by US and Soviet missions – far-side sampling, fresh soil, and new revelations.

The Soviets never landed anything on the far side of the Moon, and the best the US managed was crashing Ranger 4 into the far side. China were not only the first to soft-land on the far side, they've also brought back the only samples. They're not "pushing [...] into territory previously occupied by US and Soviet missions", they're pushing into territory the human race has never explored before.

[JimmyPage]

I think we know the truth ?

Are China sending a rocket to Jupiter ?

[Version 1.0]

Re: I think we know the truth ?

That's a good question but I think there's little evidence, given the size of Jupiter sending anything there it would be difficult to get anything back again. But I think it would be fascinating for everyone on our planet to learn more about every other world in our galaxy. We are life and we can see nothing else related to life in our galaxy or even anywhere else ... very depressing, but the possibility of life in the universe is wonderful ... that's this comment icon and my thinking about our evolution from fish originally!

I'm so happy to think about how life expanded to created fish and then us, monkeys, dogs, cats, cows, and everything!

[vtcodger]

Re: I think we know the truth ?

Given the difficulty we've had with Venus probes where the only issues are high temperatures and a thick unpleasant atmosphere*, I think Jupiter probes may be a bit beyond our current technology. Maybe a balloon of some sort reporting to a mesh of satellites ...?

The standing record for endurance is Venera13 (1982). A bit over two hours on the surface before failure

[Version 1.0]

Re: I think we know the truth ?

I think it would be fascinating to just look at every other solar system planet in the distance - our world with clouds suggests that water (H2O) in the air may have resulted in life on the world initially resulting in even us today.

[KittenHuffer]

Re: I think we know the truth ?

Obligatory XKCD

This gives a good visual indication of how difficult a Jupiter sample return mission would be!

[MachDiamond]

Re: I think we know the truth ?

"This gives a good visual indication of how difficult a Jupiter sample return mission would be!"

An equally big problem to solve would be the radiation that close to Jupiter. Dipping into the atmosphere to get a sample would also mean going like mad to zip back out after coming around to line up for the trip back to Earth. Might be a wee bit of heating. There would need to be a burning reason (heh) to get a physical sample to find things that spectroscopy wouldn't pick up. Would that be enough value for money over making a try for landing on Ganymede or Europa?

[JimmyPage]

Re:Are China sending a rocket to Jupiter

Please, please, please tell me someone got the reference ?

This may well be my last day on earth ....

[Umbracorn]

Re: Re:Are China sending a rocket to Jupiter

Daisy, daisy, give me your answer, do

My agentic AI's gone crazy on this spaceship built for two -

[Bebu sa Ware]

Re: Re:Are China sending a rocket to Jupiter

Please, please, please tell me someone got the reference ?

This may well be my last day on earth ....

About four of us I am guessing.

If had mentioned HAL. Or the his inability to complete an action for Dave you might have illuminated more mental light bulb.

[Bebu sa Ware]

Re: I think we know the truth ?

"Are China sending a rocket to Jupiter ?"

Sadly I am not sure many understood the reference.

[STOP_FORTH]

Bloody Rust

It's everywhere!

[herman]

Spinning Rust

Spinning rust - offsite backup…

[Anonymous Coward]

And I thought this was an article on programming.

[Chris Fox]

Rust everywhere

Rust? Are we certain it has passed the appropriate type checks?

[RolandM]

At least there are no leaks on the backside of the Moon

... Rust rules

[Zack Mollusc]

Fake news

Whilst the Earth is, indeed, spherical-ish, the moon is flat. It only looked round to the Apollo astronauts due to optical effects of light passing through the aether.

[Bebu sa Ware]

Re: Fake news

Whilst the Earth is, indeed, spherical-ish,

It's all flat—flat earth, flat moon, flat sun… everything.†

It's the diabolical effects of the space distorting relativistic æther that delude one into believing otherwise.

Yoke that nonsense to "intelligent design" and you will have most of America living in the dark ages… don't bother they were already.

_{† says so in the bible.}

[vtcodger]

Conjecture

I don't really know enough about lunar geology (Lunology?) to say much. But I suspect that during it's very early years as the moon cooled it might have had a very transient atmosphere and maybe even some standing water for a few centuries. And there were likely some tectonics for a while after that? Perhaps the Chinese probe has stumbled upon some material from the very earliest years of the moon's history?

[Bebu sa Ware]

Re: Conjecture

lunar geology (Lunology?)

I think selenology and selenography for lunar geography.

[Chris 239]

Contamination?

How sure are they the sample did not get contaminated either with earth rust or by earth water/humidity somewhere in it's travels? (I presume this was found in the sample that probe returned...?)

Did the cleaning man/lady/person open the flask one night to have a quick peek at the sample while no one was around?

[herman]

Re: Contamination?

As any plommer knows, if water got in behind the moon, causing it to rust, then the next thing that will be found there, is black mold.