"Stepping on the moon and reaching for the stars," China's lunar exploration endeavors ceaselessly march forward. Currently, the plans for Phase IV of China's lunar exploration program and the manned lunar landing mission have been initiated, with intentions to establish an international lunar science station, and a lunar base is also planned for the long term.
Recently, Chinese Academy of Sciences academician and researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology, Yang Mengfei, among other scholars, published an academic paper in "China Space Science and Technology," proposing novel ideas for the future development and utilization of lunar resources, aiming to provide references for subsequent scientific research and the implementation of engineering missions.
New Phase, New Missions
The Chang'e-6 mission aims to achieve sample return from the far side of the moon; Chang'e-7 will land at the lunar south pole to probe for water-ice resources; Chang'e-8, together with Chang'e-7, will establish the basic form of the lunar science station; by around 2030, China plans to achieve manned lunar landing... With the steady progression of Phase IV of China's lunar exploration, a new wave of enthusiasm for lunar exploration is on the horizon. Yang Mengfei indicates that current lunar exploration missions are gradually progressing from exploration and surveying to a new stage of development and utilization. The exploration, development, and utilization of lunar surface resources will be one of the core tasks for future lunar exploration. Existing exploration results show the moon's surface is rich in resources. Among these, lunar soil contains abundant oxygen and minerals like silicon, calcium, magnesium, etcetera. Solar wind implantation introduces isotopes of hydrogen, helium-3, carbon, and argon. Water-ice may also exist at the lunar south pole. Furthermore, the moon itself offers excellent environmental resources, including vacuum, deep cold temperatures, and space radiation, etcetera. The latest paper suggests focusing on these resources to develop on-site oxygen production and new fuel production technologies, explore smelting and purification methods for silicon-based and other key mineral resources, and develop methods for energy resources such as helium-3 and autonomous lunar surface infrastructure construction technology.Water Extraction, Oxygen Production, and Lunar Construction
In terms of lunar resource utilization, scientists from the Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology, have made a series of cutting-edge advancements. Breakthroughs in numerous key technologies are expected to lay the foundation for "extracting water," "producing oxygen," and "building" on the moon in the future. To scale up the extraction of water ice in the lunar polar regions, scientists have recently proposed a new method and created a prototype that achieves integrated extraction of icy lunar soil, including drilling, sealing, and photothermal phase-change evaporation. The paper outlines a series of experiments conducted in typical lunar surface environments that have validated the feasibility of this technological approach. Moreover, for oxygen production utilizing lunar resources, a novel "extraterrestrial artificial photosynthesis" technology route has been proposed by scientists. Yang Mengfei explains, "Currently, key catalytic material development, principle experimental validation, and fluid circuit design have been completed, with prototypes for space experiment payloads and scaled-up devices fabricated, planning to undergo further space experiments on the space station." Additionally, focusing on lunar surface construction, scientists have developed an in-situ construction method adapting to the unique environmental and regolith material characteristics of the moon. They have built a "static-electric transport - concentrated light melting lunar regolith 3D printing ground principle test system." In scientists' view, utilization of the extreme lunar environment for fundamental scientific research provides an excellent natural comprehensive laboratory, likely to lead to significant scientific discoveries and disruptive technological achievements.Five Key Tasks Face Challenges
Yang Mengfei perceives that currently, due to the extreme lunar surface environment, unique physicochemical characteristics of lunar soil, and unmanned autonomy, challenges still loom large for lunar resource development. To confront these challenges, the paper proposes five key tasks, including resource prospecting, resource extraction, resource transformation, resource utilization, and environmental effects. For resource prospecting, new methods of resource detection and joint-reversion theories are needed to lay the groundwork for lunar mining site selection. Resource extraction tasks should develop new methods for scaled resource extraction and transformation. The task of resource transformation should develop extraterrestrial carbon-oxygen cycling technology, breaking new ground in on-site oxygen and fuel preparation principles and technologies. For resource utilization, methods for in situ manufacturing of key devices, densification and molding of lunar soil, and additive manufacturing should be explored. As for environmental effects, development of ground-based simulation theories for the extreme lunar environment and construction methods for comprehensive lunar surface labs is crucial. Furthermore, the paper suggests that China should construct capabilities for resource prospecting surrounding the moon and on the lunar surface by around 2035, form an all-weather Earth-Moon integrated telemetry and navigation system, carry out generic technology research and tackle key technical issues. Around 2045, establish a lunar science station, conduct in-orbit verification of key resource utilization technologies, and achieve small-scale trial mining; by around 2065, construct a lunar base/factory, realizing large-scale, long-term, high-efficiency resource development and utilization, as well as lunar tourism. "Currently, global space endeavors have entered a historic opportunity period of the 'Era of Major Spaceflight'," Yang Mengfei expresses, "Just as the Age of Exploration created marvels, the 'Era of Major Spaceflight,' with lunar resource development and utilization as a representative, is bound to create the next marvel in human development history."Related Academic Publication Information:
https://doi.org/10.16708/j.cnki.1000-758X.2024.000
