Chinese Astronauts May Build a Base Inside a Lunar Lava Tube
7 hours ago
- #Space Exploration
- #China Moon Mission
- #Lunar Caves
- Early humans used caves as shelters for protection from elements, predators, and rivals.
- Lunar caves, like lava tubes, could provide shelter for astronauts on the Moon, protecting them from radiation, meteorites, temperature swings, and impact ejecta.
- Lava tubes form when lava cools and drains, leaving empty tubes; they exist on both Earth and the Moon and are ancient.
- The Moon has extreme temperature swings from 127°C to -173°C, making lava tubes valuable for their stable temperature environment.
- Radiation on the Moon is up to 150 times stronger than on Earth; lunar caves offer protection via thick rock ceilings.
- China is exploring lunar lava tubes, particularly in Mare Tranquillitatis and Mare Fecunditatis, and planning robotic systems for cave exploration.
- China aims to establish a crewed underground research base in a lunar lava tube, with support facilities at the entrance.
- China plans to build a Moon base by 2028, aligning with strategic space exploration goals, similar to NASA's Artemis program.
- Researchers propose a five-year rover mission to study volcanic features in Mare Fecunditatis, potentially selecting a base site.
- Space exploration and politics are intertwined in China, with intentions clear for lunar exploration and base construction.