Annoyed By US Actions On The Moon, China Hastened To Build Stations

China will accelerate the construction of bases on the Moon around 2027. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA - China will accelerate the construction of a base on the Moon around 2027. Eight years earlier than previously scheduled. This project, claimed to not be left behind by the United States (US).

By cooperating with Russia, the base or station on the Moon will be used for various research and other missions. Initially, China's Chang'e 8 Moon landing mission was aimed at carrying out scientific experiments such as 3D printing of lunar dust, which will follow two more launches in the next few years.

However, the deputy director of China's National Space Administration, Wu Yanhua, said the new Chang'e 8 mission was to place an unmanned research station on the Moon's surface, which was previously scheduled for 2035.

Unfortunately, Wu did not provide further details on the reasons behind the change of plans. China's space authorities have repeatedly stated that they are not interested in a race like the US-Soviet cold war.

But according to scientists involved in China's Moon project, China's space authorities immediately changed their minds because they felt threatened by recent US moves, as quoted by the South China Morning Post, Wednesday, December 29.

Shortly after the Chang'e 5 mission brought lunar samples back to Earth, China's deputy chief designer of the manned space program, Zhang Chongfeng, criticized the US for implementing the "Enclosure Movement" on the Moon.

The Enclosure Movement was a campaign by English aristocrats in the 18th and 19th centuries to seize land that was previously shared by all members of the village. China's space authorities believe that NASA's Artemis program will do the same on the Moon.

The Artemis program plans to send US astronauts back to the Moon in 2024 while staying on various missions. The US government and NASA have proposed the Artemis Accord to set the rules for future activities on the Moon.

The agreement allows governments or private companies to protect their facilities or heritage sites by establishing safe zones that prohibit the entry of others.

Unfortunately China and Russia oppose the treaty, arguing it challenges existing international protocols including the United Nations Moon Treaty, which states that the Moon belongs to all of humanity, not to any particular party.

Therefore, to counter the US, China took several steps beforehand to build a station on the Moon. China will immediately place a nuclear-powered research station on the Moon. The unmanned facility will allow visiting Chinese astronauts to stay on the Moon.

Furthermore, in order to counter US territorial claims, China will also deploy mobile stations. This lunar base on wheels can roam freely on the lunar surface for more than 1,000 km, and is equipped with artificial intelligence technology. That means, astronauts do not need to be present to operate it.

Different Chinese Missions on the Moon

In contrast to the US program, China will pay a lot of attention to cave exploration, which can provide natural protection for the construction of permanent settlements. Unlike the US which only focuses on the surface of the Moon.

This is because the latest lunar samples by Chinese scientists show there is more volcanic activity on the Moon than previously thought. Data collected by the earlier Chang'e mission helped researchers find more than 10 holes on the Moon that could lead to underground chambers, which they claim were formed by volcanic eruptions.

Zhang said these sites would be the focus of China's future manned and robotic missions. By 2050, China could establish a leading position on the Moon by partnering with countries like Russia.