Cabeus

crater, Moon

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Last updated

July 20, 2026

Quick Summary

Cabeus is a lunar crater located at the Moon's south pole. It is significant because its permanently shadowed floor was thought to potentially harbor ice just beneath the surface, making it a target for missions seeking resources for future lunar exploration.1

The LCROSS spacecraft deliberately crashed into Cabeus in October 2009. Analysis of the resulting plume confirmed the presence of subsurface water ice, with the lunar soil found to be 5.6 percent water ice. This discovery was a key finding for understanding the Moon's potential resources.1

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LCROSS
…from LCROSS and traveled toward Cabeus, a crater caused by an impact event at the Moon’s south pole. Since the floor of Cabeus is permanently in shadow, it was thought that water might survive there as ice just underneath the surface. Such water would be useful for future crewed lunar…
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…from LCROSS and traveled toward Cabeus, a crater caused by an impact event at the Moon’s south pole. Since the floor of Cabeus is permanently in shadow, it was thought that water might survive there as ice just underneath the surface. Such water would be useful for future crewed lunar…
Read More