NASA to bomb the moon for water

NASA is preparing to launch the LCROSS mission to bomb the moon's South Pole, as part of the agency's search for water in space.

The LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite) mission will send a Centaur rocket at twice the speed of a bullet to make a hole in the moon's surface.

Scientists say the blast will be powerful enough to eject a huge plume of debris from the moon that will be seen from earth through telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger.

The missile will hit the moon's South Pole, where scientists believe billions of tons of trapped ice may be held, Huffington Post reported.

The debris will then be examined to find traces of water ice or vapor.

Locating water on the moon would be a great help for future space missions.

"Transporting water and other goods from Earth to the moon's surface is expensive," NASA notes. "Finding natural resources, such as water ice, on the moon could help expedite lunar exploration."