Above: Artist rendering of cosmic radar instrument over the Moon. Credit: UH News/Christian Miki
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa scientists have developed an innovative method to search for buried water ice on the Moon—a key resource for sustaining future lunar missions. The team, led by researchers from the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, published findings in Geophysical Research Letters detailing how naturally occurring cosmic rays can help detect ice beneath the Moon’s surface. These ultra-high energy rays generate radar waves that bounce off subsurface layers, allowing scientists to identify potential ice deposits.
Using advanced computer simulations, the team modeled how these radar waves travel through lunar soil and interact with ice and rock layers. The results show promise for detecting hidden water ice using a specialized radar instrument that is currently in development at UH Mānoa. The team hopes to test the system by early 2026 and explore opportunities to deploy it on the Moon. Their efforts are a major step forward in locating and using lunar resources, which are critical for enabling long-term human exploration and habitation of the Moon.