China announces the construction of an underground base on the Moon

Chinese scientists presented a project to build a lunar base in lava caves, which will allow astronauts to stay there for a long time.

Scientists from the Harbin Institute of Technology (China) presented a project for the first Chinese base on the Moon. It should be built by 2035 and will be located in lava caves.

These caves will provide astronauts with natural protection against solar and cosmic radiation, in addition to saving them from extreme temperature changes on the Moon, Express writes.

These underground tunnels were created during ancient volcanic eruptions on the Moon. As the outer part of the lunar lava cooled and solidified, the rest poured out, leaving holes in the form of tunnels.

These underground caverns can be several kilometers long and tens of meters wide. According to scientists, there is enough space for the lunar base equipment.

“These underground tunnels are a good alternative for a base that is not at the South Pole of the Moon, where water ice is thought to be abundant. The South Pole may be too crowded because many countries want to build a base here. On the other hand, extracting ice from water can be a very difficult task,” says Pan Wente of the Harbin Institute of Technology.

It is known that the Chinese base on the Moon will consist of:

– a pyramid-shaped structure on the surface, which will serve as the entry/exit point of the base;

– the main vertical room, where the base control center and connecting corridors with other parts of the underground structure will be located;

– work and residential premises, which will be attached to the main part of the lunar base.

According to Pan Wente, all components of the Chinese base can be deployed very easily on the Moon. To strengthen the structure, scientists propose to use a concrete mix, which will be created from lunar regolith with additives supplied from Earth.

China has accelerated the development of its space program in recent years, including lunar exploration. This country can be proud of the first and so far only spacecraft to land on the far side of the Earth’s satellite.

China also plans to launch spacecraft to the South Pole of the Moon in the coming years to study water ice reserves, from which water can be extracted. By 2030, China plans to send the first astronauts to the Moon, and by 2035 to build its own base on the Moon.