China is making big strides toward space exploration with the announcement of plans to build a Moon base using lunar soil. According to state-run news outlet CGTN, work on the project is expected to begin within five years.
The ambitious plan aims at constructing a permanent structure that will house astronauts and other scientific equipment for extended periods on the moon’s surface. The bricks used in construction would be made from raw materials found in lunar soil, which could potentially reduce the costs associated with transporting building materials from Earth into space.
In addition, China has also revealed its intention to explore ways of harnessing energy sources available on the moon, such as solar power and helium-3 deposits – an isotope believed by some scientists as having potential applications for future fusion reactors here on Earth.
This latest development marks yet another milestone for China’s rapidly advancing space program, which has already seen successes like launching Chang’e 4 – its first spacecraft to land safely on the far side of our natural satellite last year – and sending two Chinese astronauts into orbit back in 2016 aboard their Shenzhou 11 mission capsule. With this new initiative underway, it looks like there’s no stopping them now!
Read more at Futurism
