News Excerpt:

Scientists detected water molecules on the surface of two asteroids–named Iris and Massalia  for the first time ever.

About new discovery:

• The team made the discovery using data from NASA's now-retired SOFIA airborne observatory.
• Observations showed that two of the asteroids — named Iris and Massalia — exhibit a specific wavelength of light that indicated the presence of water molecules at their surface.
• This proves that liquid water can survive on asteroids in the inner solar system for eons. And it is crucial for study on asteroids.
• While water molecules have previously been detected in asteroid samples returned to Earth, this is the first time that water molecules have been found on the surface of an asteroid in space.
• In a previous study, SOFIA found similar traces of water on the surface of the moon, in one of the largest craters in its southern hemisphere.