The official newspaper of China, China Daily, reported on Monday that China is considering utilizing 3D printing technology to construct buildings on the moon. This move is part of Beijing’s efforts to establish long-term human habitation on the lunar surface.
During the 2020 Chinese lunar mission, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon Chang’e 5, an uncrewed probe successfully retrieved China’s first lunar soil samples and returned them to Earth. China, which achieved its initial lunar landing in 2013, aims to send a human astronaut to the moon by 2030.
China has planned three upcoming lunar missions, namely Chang’e 6, 7, and 8, with the latter assigned to search for sustainable resources on the moon that could be utilized for long-term human habitation.
According to Wu Weiren, a scientist at the China National Space Administration, the Chang’e 8 probe, as per China Daily, will perform on-site evaluations of the lunar environment and mineral composition. In addition, it will assess the feasibility of implementing technologies like 3D printing on the moon’s surface.
“If we wish to stay on the moon for a long time, we need to set up stations by using the moon’s own materials,”
Wu said
Chinese media recently reported that China aims to commence the construction of a lunar base using moon soil within the next five years. As per an expert from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, a robot will be deployed during the Chang’e 8 mission around 2028, with the task of producing “lunar soil bricks”.
In recent years, the competition to be the first to return to the moon has intensified, with the United States being at the forefront of this effort. As part of this effort, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency have selected four astronauts for the Artemis II mission, scheduled for late 2024.
The mission aims to make the first human fly-by of the moon in several decades.
