Chinese researchers develop "lunar bricks" for future lunar base construction

BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have developed bricks from a material that has a similar composition to lunar soil, with the hope that they can be used to build a lunar base in the future.

According to a recent video clip provided to Xinhua by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, a team of researchers led by Ding Lieyun used a lunar soil simulant to make "lunar bricks" that are more than three times stronger than standard red bricks or concrete bricks.

The team also developed another construction option using additive manufacturing technology. The researchers invented a 3D-printing robot to print houses using lunar soil.

According to China Central Television, the lunar bricks will be sent to China's space station aboard the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft to verify their mechanical and thermal performance, as well as their ability to withstand cosmic radiation. The first lunar brick is expected to return to Earth by the end of 2025.

China unveiled a national mid-term to long-term development program for space science on Tuesday, outlining a roadmap for the development of space science in China through 2050. The international lunar research station, which was initiated by China, will be constructed during the program's second phase from 2028 to 2035. ■