By 
May 18th, 2023
A spectacular, specially produced near-ground level oblique view of the “Connecting Ridge” between Shackleton and Henson craters. The lunar south pole (SP) occurs on the rim of Shackleton crater. The ridge along the rim of the South Pole-Aitken impact basin is a potential Artemis landing site (001) and another (004) occurs on the rim of Shackleton crater. (Image credit: ETHZ\LPI\Valentin T. Bickel and David A. Kring)
We are on the cusp of learning far more about the projected icy situation of the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions, or PSRs. Multiple nations are eying the Moon’s south pole with research teams plotting out how and where to explore the bottoms of the sun-shy features.
In some circles, however, there are suggestions of placing a moratorium on up-close inspection of PSRs.
SpaceX Lunar Starship off loads crew and cargo onto the moon’s surface.
Image credit: SpaceX
While PSRs might be chock full of extractable ice, it could be necessary to protect these features for the science they are likely to offer.
For more information on this “volatile topic,” go to my new Space.com story – “Can NASA’s Artemis Moon missions count on using lunar water ice?” go to:
https://www.space.com/moon-lunar-ice-poles-artemis-program
Posted in Space News
Unfortunately, and to our expenses and survivability detriment, no one is advancing true resources prospecting on a scale and level of detail needed to pick a proper landing site, and establish a sustainable, long-term presence on the Moon. This will sadly have negative consequences in the near future for human exploration activities.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117720302234