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Robotic Spacecraft (Astronomy, Planetary, Earth, Solar/Heliophysics) => Space Science Coverage => Topic started by: Eric Hedman on 04/09/2023 04:56 am

Title: Glass spherule microtektites found on the Moon by China
Post by: Eric Hedman on 04/09/2023 04:56 am

China found something interesting on the far side of the Moon.  There are microtektite glass spherules that may according to their scientists hold 330 billion tons of water scattered all over the surface.  They also could be use for in situ glass production.  Here are three articles about it:

https://news.yahoo.com/chinese-rover-discovers-glass-beads-215121217.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANl8Kse-a_8yiuGCgJDk6Epqn5Ts4T5YfRiTHACzIyeQ1SJ0974yBb9_bWkh0ch16MK5-IpfrEMTy9If5D6lPXOFIND9Aec7mqfc_-UtRFD-N9OwGO0e9qXuM4BoGtQi-_TY-SnUvM-WPgE7PqGuOGb5u-F-hNHdnYL3lGahqbZr (https://news.yahoo.com/chinese-rover-discovers-glass-beads-215121217.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANl8Kse-a_8yiuGCgJDk6Epqn5Ts4T5YfRiTHACzIyeQ1SJ0974yBb9_bWkh0ch16MK5-IpfrEMTy9If5D6lPXOFIND9Aec7mqfc_-UtRFD-N9OwGO0e9qXuM4BoGtQi-_TY-SnUvM-WPgE7PqGuOGb5u-F-hNHdnYL3lGahqbZr)

https://www.livescience.com/china-rover-spots-glass-spheres (https://www.livescience.com/china-rover-spots-glass-spheres)

https://www.independent.co.uk/space/moon-rover-discovery-lunar-surface-b2022414.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/space/moon-rover-discovery-lunar-surface-b2022414.html)

Title: Re: Glass spherule microtektites found on the Moon by China
Post by: Phil Stooke on 04/09/2023 06:33 am

Not really.  The glass beads containing traces of water were found in regolith returned by Chang'e 5.  Chang'e 4's rover Yutu 2 did see the glass spheres you posted links to but that is not where the water was found.