– China plans to use its upcoming Chang’e 8 lunar mission in 2028 to start constructing structures on the moon’s surface.
– The lander will carry equipment to melt moon dust using solar power and compress it into bricks measuring around 16 cubic inches each.
– Researchers aim to 3D print a prototype habitat from these bricks, with the goal of establishing a permanent lunar research station.
– A robot will be developed to prepare the work area and assemble the bricks with high precision for construction.
– China has made rapid advancements in lunar exploration through missions like Chang’e 4, which soft-landed on the far side of the moon in 2019.
– If successful, Chang’e 8’s brick-making experiment could demonstrate a way to build structures directly on the moon using local resources.
In summary, the article reports on China’s ambitious plan to start constructing the first building on the moon in 2028 using bricks created by compressing and smelting lunar regolith, representing another step forward in lunar base development.
Source: futurism
