Recently, a team of researchers in China has created “lunar bricks” designed for building a future base on the Moon. These bricks utilize a distinctive material purported to have a similar composition to lunar soil.
A video from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) recently revealed that a team of researchers, guided by Ding Lieyun, has used simulated lunar soil to craft lunar bricks, which are said to be three times stronger than standard red or concrete bricks.
The research team has also devised an alternative construction method that employs additive manufacturing technology, creating a 3D printing robot capable of printing structures using lunar soil.
According to Professor Zhou Cheng of HUST, the research team employed five various simulated materials and three unique sintering processes in the creation of these lunar bricks. This will provide more scientific data for choosing suitable materials for future lunar bases.
In the process of sintering, heat or pressure is applied to powdered materials, causing them to harden while avoiding melting.
Zhou remarked that the composition of lunar soil changes from one region to another. The lunar bricks have been crafted to imitate the soil from the specific site where the Chang’e-5 spacecraft landed, which is mainly volcanic rock or basalt.
Here, some soil compositions were simulated using soil found in various lunar areas, particularly anthracite. Anthracite typically results from the transformation of bituminous or lignite coal as a result of rising heat and pressure over time.
However, the bricks developed by the researchers will need to undergo several tests to ascertain whether they can endure the lunar environment.
Zhou noted that the Moon has a unique vacuum atmosphere coupled with cosmic radiation. During the day, temperatures can exceed 180 degrees Celsius, while at night they plummet to minus 190 degrees Celsius.
Thus, it is important to investigate whether these bricks can properly insulate against heat and resist the Moon’s radiation.
The lunar bricks produced by the researchers are scheduled to be delivered to China’s space station using the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft to evaluate their mechanical and thermal resistance and their endurance against cosmic radiation on the Moon.
Researchers estimate that these bricks, produced on Earth for the first time, could be dispatched to the lunar surface by the end of 2025.
On Tuesday, China announced a national-level long-term development programme for space science, presenting a roadmap for advancements expected by 2050.