China is considering creating an underground base on the moon and a gateway into orbit

With the Artemis programme, many countries aim to make…Exploring the moon Sustainable to avoid “The error” It was accomplished by the Apollo missions which, after Apollo 17 in 1972, saw the end of the program due to high operating costs and the significant end of competition with the Soviet Union to achieve this goal. From that point on, the focus was on automated exploration while the focus was on human tasks “Limited” to those in low Earth orbit (LEO). now moon However, it has returned to being a priority, changing the approach to space exploration. Although Russia also has projects to explore natural satellites, the United States’ main competitor is Russia China.

The Asian country has confirmed several times that it intends to send A Human crew On the moon before 2030 While in the following years it is scheduled to build a base on the moon called ILRS (International Lunar Research Station). This project was born in cooperation with Roscosmos and other agencies/countries, so much so that the European Space Agency also began to think about possible cooperation. The difficulties Luna-25 encountered and perhaps other information about Russian reliability in continuing such complex cooperation may have diminished its contribution to the project. An ambitious plan that can be supported in the future with similar but more complex projects.

China and the idea of ​​​​the base under the surface of the moon

Several ILRS missions are planned. In particular, Chang’e-8 now includes a humanoid robot instead of a hopper and this type of device will be the basis Underground base On the moon. It is clear that this project is still far from implementation (it indicates that its realization could begin around 2040). The proposal comes fromHarbin Institute of Technology (HIT) includes several operational stages China It will have created a concrete program for lunar exploration.

The first stage includes a Gate In orbit around moon Which Chinese astronauts will be able to use to reach the surface after docking with a spacecraft. Subordinate rover They will scan the lunar interior to search for the most suitable area to build the underground base. Once the appropriate location is determined, a missile will be sent that will collapse the upper part of the naturally formed cavity along with debris that can be disposed of thanks to other means. Robot.

The deeper part of the cavity will also be cleaned to be suitable to host the future base. from Gate It will be sent to Surface A lonliness/ The landing module is able to enter the cavity to provide the vehicle’s main survivability structure Chinese astronauts.

Other environments can be created around the unit expanding the available volume. The main structure will protrude from the roof for a few meters and will be protected by a dome. Outside there will be several antennas for communication with the Earth and various spacecraft while other structures may arise nearby (such as tanks for fuel and air, etc.) as well as solar panels to generate electricity. In general, there will be widespread use of the materials taken On sitesuch as lunar regolith that can be used as concrete pits to create living areas.

It is estimated that there will be a constant temperature inside the units of 25°C while temperatures inside the cavity will fluctuate between 17°C and -43°C while on the surface they will go from 117°C to -173°C. . The idea of ​​exploitation Caves Found below The surface of the moon This is not a new project that comes from China It currently remains a proposal. Being able to live under the moon’s surface would have many advantages such as protection from meteorite impacts as well as lower temperatures and reduced radiation absorption. But overall, this is not an unfeasible project in the long term, and it could be the beginning of permanent activity on the Moon.