Featured Image Credit: Jose A. Bernat Bacete / dottedhippo / Getty
We know that the moon is made of rock and metal - just like Earth and other planets in our solar system.
Well, more specifically, our celestial neighbour is mostly made of iron, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, mercury as well as titanium, gold, and silver.
Thanks to China's space ongoing programme, we're uncovering billion years' worth of secrets from the lunar planet's past.
Recent findings from the Chang’e-4 mission reveal that the top 130 feet (40 metres) of the lunar surface is covered in layers of dust, soil, and broken rocks.
Advert
All in all, for something that's been around for billions of years, we're only uncovering its detailed history and structure in the past decade.
Now, scientists have officially confirmed what lies at the core of our moon. For one, it's a solid ball with a density similar to iron.
Astronomer Arthur Briaud and his team wrote: 'Our results question the evolution of the moon magnetic field thanks to its demonstration of the existence of the inner core and support a global mantle overturn scenario that brings substantial insights on the timeline of the lunar bombardment in the first billion years of the solar system.'
Listening to acoustic waves from moonquakes, the team was able to dig deeper into the moon's interior materials.
In other space news, NASA is configuring a plan to dispose of the International Space Station (ISS) with no other than Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
His company, SpaceX, was awarded a huge contract by NASA on June 26 to handle the ISS’s deorbiting. The contract is worth a value of $843 million.
The plan involves using a special Deorbit Vehicle, which will act as a space tugboat, dragging the ISS down into the atmosphere where it will mostly burn upon re-entry.
'Selecting a US Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations,' Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington stated.
Elsewhere, Italian fashion designer Prada is set to design NASA's new space suit for future lunar missions.
Mike Suffredini, president and CEO of Axiom Space, said previously: 'We're carrying on NASA's legacy by designing an advanced spacesuit that will allow astronauts to operate safely and effectively on the moon.'
Scientists hope this discovery about the moon’s core will further progress our knowledge of the moon's history and the solar system.
