China is advancing its lunar exploration efforts by utilizing lunar soil to create 3D-printed bricks, a crucial step towards establishing a lunar base. The Chang’e 8 spacecraft, scheduled for launch around 2028, aims to support the International Moonlight Research Institute (ILRS), signaling a significant leap in lunar habitation capabilities. The high costs of sending materials to the moon make on-site resource utilization, or using local materials, a practical solution to reduce expenses and enhance possibilities.
Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, announced the development of a device capable of producing bricks from lunar soil by concentrating solar energy. This process can melt lunar soil at extremely high temperatures, enabling the creation of bricks of various specifications. A successful test of this technology could facilitate China’s ambitious plans for lunar construction.
Additionally, China has already tested various compositions of simulated lunar soil bricks at the Tiangong space station to evaluate their durability in space conditions. The upcoming Chang’e 7 mission, launching in 2026, will explore the lunar Antarctic for water resources, vital for future moon missions concerning drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel production. With plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, China is building on a successful history of lunar missions over the past two decades.
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