According to Vladimir Khmelyov of the Altai State Technical University, an ultrasonic drilling project has won financing from Russia’s Fundamental Research Fund and China’s National Natural Science Fund. In this project, it will be explored how to use ultrasonic drilling of extraterrestrial surfaces to discover water and ice, Russia’s Tass News Agency reported. Based on indirect explorations, it is assumed that water is located close to the surface of craters up to 10 kilometers deep on the reverse side of the moon. Ultrasonic equipment could eventually be installed on lunar and Martian rovers.

CAS news release, January 17, 2019