US-China Relations Updates

China’s lunar exploration program has always been pragmatic and has steadily achieved multiple mission objectives, such as the lunar probes Chang’e-1 to Chang’e-5.

Now, China has successively formulated plans for manned lunar missions by 2030, lunar scientific research station construction by 2035, and recently, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) has announced a lunar base plan.

The lunar base construction plan proposed by HIT utilizes the characteristics of lunar caves, with the main structure installed beneath the lunar surface, utilizing the natural lunar terrain and geology as external protection. This not only enhances the safety of the lunar base but also reduces the difficulty and risks of construction.

Upon the release of the plan, it has caused a sensation both domestically and internationally. While the American lunar exploration team is still contemplating design approaches, HIT has already taken the lead, formulating a complete and reliable lunar base plan, making it the world’s first feasible extraterrestrial base plan!

Plan Concept:
Caves are common geological formations on Earth, formed by various factors such as underground water erosion, collapse of rock walls, and volcanic activity.

The same principles apply to the moon, where there are also a few volcanic activities. They drive the lava to flow from the interior towards the lunar surface, rapidly cooling and forming a hardened shell, continuously covering the flowing magma behind. As the magma flows to lower areas, the temperature difference causes the rock walls to expand and contract, eventually forming caves of various sizes.

Generally, lunar caves range in size from several hundred to several football fields, providing ample space for lunar base construction. HIT’s implementation plan consists of three steps:

Step 1: After selecting the base location, a drilling projectile will be launched from the lunar space station to conduct drilling operations on the lunar surface, creating a connection between the surface and the lunar cave. The drilling projectile is a special weapon capable of penetrating a certain depth freely on the lunar surface, allowing for the creation of a tunnel with a desired width.

Step 2: Lunar surface robots will be deployed to autonomously carry out various tasks. Their main responsibilities include sealing and reinforcing the tunnel entrance from the drilling operation to ensure that the base construction is not affected by lunar vacuum and radiation. They will also enter the tunnel to clear the debris generated by the drilling, level and clean the site, preparing it for subsequent base construction.

Step 3: The lunar base’s core module will be launched. This is the most crucial part of the base construction plan. It consists of a scalable structure that can unfold into a cylindrical chamber within the cave. To enhance the comfort and quality of the base, the core module can also include inflatable modules and a double-layered entrance dome, providing space for lunar base activities.

In addition, the core module will serve as the communication link between the base, the lunar space station, and Earth, facilitating information exchange. The inflatable modules include research modules, energy modules, collection modules, processing modules, and launch modules, each playing a different role within the base. These modules, constructed using inflatable technology, can be adjusted and replaced at any time, ensuring flexibility and adaptability.

Once the lunar core module is constructed on Earth, it will temporarily dock with the space station. It will then wait in Earth’s orbit until the lunar cave is cleared, after which it will be launched and land within the cave. The successful landing of the core module marks the official commencement of the construction, including the establishment of lunar solar power fields, communication stations, and more, aiming to strengthen the survival and self-sufficiency capabilities of the lunar base.

The future lunar base will primarily serve five main functions: scientific research, energy production, resource collection, processing, and launching. The launching function refers to launching rockets to Mars, aiming to reduce launch costs. The rocket storage can be located underground, while the launchpad will be on the lunar surface. The other four functions can all be carried out underground.

Looking back at HIT’s lunar base construction plan, the core concept and advantage lie in installing the main structure underground. This approach has several advantages. Firstly, the temperature fluctuations on the lunar surface are extreme, ranging from 117 degrees Celsius to minus 173 degrees Celsius. However, the temperature inside the lunar cave remains relatively stable between 17 and minus 43 degrees Celsius. The internal temperature of the core module we launch can be maintained at 25 degrees Celsius. Utilizing the lunar terrain cleverly avoids challenges posed by the environment, displaying remarkable ingenuity.

Furthermore, it is well-known that the moon lacks an atmosphere. Zhang Chongfeng, a member of the Shanghai Institute of Space Technology, foresaw this issue and said, “Intense cosmic radiation and micro-meteoroid impacts pose significant risks to the construction of lunar scientific research bases. However, natural lunar caves provide protection against radiation, meteoroids, and lunar dust.”

As early as 2018, Zhang Chongfeng and his team began researching lunar caves. They led geological experts on field inspections of various domestic caves, thus establishing an understanding of lunar caves.

However, the lunar base design approach in the United States remains significantly behind. They envision using 3D printing to manufacture bricks from lunar soil and building structures by stacking these bricks, ultimately forming a domed circular structure resembling a habitat.

China’s current construction plan has opened up a new approach globally. Why go through the cumbersome and troublesome process of constructing a lunar base directly on the moon when we can adapt to the conditions on Earth and then launch to a suitable location on the moon?

Why did the announcement of Hefei University of Technology’s lunar cave construction plan unsettle people in the United States? In fact, that statement is somewhat understated. The current situation in the United States can be likened to being roasted on a fire, as they are in a state of unease.

The Hefei University of Technology’s plan has revealed two realities about the Moon. Firstly, the construction of a lunar base is not an unattainable goal and can be achieved with the current level of human technology. Secondly, underground construction in lunar caves is currently the only feasible solution. However, the number of lunar caves on the surface is limited, and after careful selection, the available options become even scarcer. Therefore, lunar base construction is currently a limited quantity, and the first come, first served principle applies.

Previously, the prevailing belief in the United States and around the world was that the lunar surface was all land, and there was no rush to construct a base overnight. However, Hefei University of Technology’s announcement has declared to the world that the Moon can be seen as a vast sea, with only a few islands available for development and occupation. As a result, major aerospace powers worldwide are competing fiercely and eagerly for these opportunities.

Our historical backwardness caused us to miss the Age of Discovery, leading to a century of stagnation in development. But now, we are personally embarking on the second Space Age of exploration, which is truly exciting.

The lunar cave construction plan maximizes the advantages of the lunar terrain, significantly reduces costs, and enhances safety and feasibility. Importantly, this plan is not merely an exaggerated PowerPoint presentation like those seen in the United States in the last century. It is a completely feasible and mature solution, the culmination of years of infrastructure construction and lunar exploration practices by the Chinese.

For example, the use of a lunar soil mixture, similar to the construction industry’s use of locally available materials, is similar to land reclamation practices in the South China Sea. Solar photovoltaic arrays, which China has led globally in recent years, and large-scale collaborative operations by robots, owe their success to the vigorous development of 5G and 6G technologies by companies like Huawei. Therefore, it is not surprising that industry insiders describe this plan as “basic operations.”

So, what challenges does our lunar base construction currently face?

Firstly, lunar base scientific experiments conducted on Earth still lack high-level researchers, high-quality experimental conditions, and sufficient financial support. If people from all walks of life could raise their level of understanding and contribute ideas and materials to the lunar base construction, the participation of the masses would greatly promote its achievements.

Secondly, there are limitations to current transportation technology. Launching carrier rockets is currently the only way for humans to transport personnel and supplies to the Moon. However, this method requires significant material and financial resources and comes with certain risks. Achieving low-cost, large-scale space transportation remains a challenge.

Overall, the construction of a lunar base and exploration of outer space are highly beneficial endeavors for humanity. They promote scientific development and elevate our understanding of the solar system to new heights. Exploring the origins of life, predicting unknown phenomena, and advancing scientific knowledge to new frontiers are all part of this endeavor.

China’s development of a lunar base is not intended to compete or confront other countries but to strengthen international cooperation and sharing. It aims to make Earth a true second home and a second research laboratory for humanity. However, it is inevitable that Western countries may not fully recognize our intentions and may distort their interpretations of our actions with narrow-minded perspectives. We don’t need to pay much attention to idle talk and speculation. Instead, we should move forward with our own efforts and abilities, conquering challenges and providing the best answers through our actions.