China is planning to use 3D printing technology to construct buildings on the moon, according to the official Chinese newspaper, China Daily. The country is solidifying its plans for long-term lunar habitation and has several missions lined up, including Chang’e 6, 7, and 8, which will search for reusable resources on the moon. The Chang’e 8 probe will conduct on-site investigations of the environment and mineral composition, and determine whether technologies such as 3D printing can be deployed on the lunar surface. Wu Weiren, a scientist at the China National Space Administration, said that if humans wish to stay on the moon for a long time, they will need to set up stations by using the moon’s own materials. China aims to start building a lunar base using soil from the moon in the next five years, with a robot tasked with making “lunar soil bricks” scheduled to be launched during the Chang’e 8 mission around 2028.
China to utilize 3D printing technology to build moon habitats
