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China-Lunar Base/Feasibility Verification
FILE: China - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of animation showing construction robot working on lunar surface, "Moon Pot Vessel" on moon
Wuhan City, Hubei Province, central China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Model of China's future Moon base in National Center of Technology Innovation for Digital Construction (NCTI-DC)
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ding Lieyun, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; NCTI-DC chief scientist (starting with shot 2/partially overlaid with shot 4):
"One approach to building houses on the Moon is through 3D printing. For example, you could directly use lunar soil and process it with lasers for 3D printing. Alternatively, there are various powder-melting techniques that could be applied. However, lunar soil is somewhat similar to ceramic materials. If you're working on smaller structures, the problem is not too big. But if you're 3D printing a large building, it becomes prone to cracking."
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
4. Various of scientist analyzing lunar soil samples
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
5. Sign of NCTI-DC
6. Various of mortise, tenon joint
7. Various of 3D printer, printed model of foundation, "Moon Pot Vessel"
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ding Lieyun, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; NCTI-DC chief scientist (partially overlaid with shot 9):
"Back in 2015, when we started exploring whether 3D printing could be used to build a lunar base and what materials could be used, it felt like a fantasy that is incredibly distant. But as we keep working, our understanding has deepened, and we have realized that it is not just our team making efforts. Scientists from all over the world are tackling this challenge together. For example, when it comes to energy issues, some experts told us, 'You don't need to worry about energy. There are specialized teams working on that. You'll just use their results when the time comes.' That realization has served as a big step forward. This is why interdisciplinary collaboration is so important. When these forces come together, they create something truly extraordinary."
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
9. Scientist, 3D printer working
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: China - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
10. Various of animation showing Earth, Moon, construction robot building house on lunar surface
Wuhan City, Hubei Province, central China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ding Lieyun, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; NCTI-DC chief scientist (ending with shot 9):
"Today's experiments on the Moon provide foundational research that will help us go further in the future. They also position the Moon as a testbed for human deep-space exploration, enabling us to reach even greater distances."
FILE: China - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
12. Various of animation showing Earth, Moon
Chinese scientists are making strides toward a fascinating goal: building a lunar research base by applying 3D printing robot to print houses directly using lunar soil, with the feasibility of this innovative concept increasingly being validated.
The bold idea is spearheaded by a Chinese team led by Ding Lieyun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief scientist of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Digital Construction (NCTI-DC) at central China's Huazhong University. Ding's research team has focused on addressing three core challenges, namely materials, structure, and technology, gradually formulating an initial solution to the question of how to build houses on the Moon.
Given the immense costs of transporting construction materials across the vast distance between Earth and the Moon, utilizing in-situ resources is the optimal approach for building a lunar base. Lunar soil, or regolith, has been identified as a primary construction material as scientists have discovered that it contains abundant oxides, metals, and silicon compounds that could be processed into bricks or composite materials suitable for constructing the lunar research base.
This concept is far from theoretical. China's lunar exploration program, initiated with the Chang'e series of missions, has already achieved significant milestones in sampling and analyzing lunar soil. The Chang'e-3 mission in 2013 conducted the first in-situ analysis of lunar soil composition, confirming its basic structural components. In 2020, the Chang'e-5 mission successfully returned 1,731 grams of lunar soil samples to Earth, providing critical data on its processability and plasticity. The subsequent Chang'e-6 mission in 2024 made history by collecting samples from the Moon's far side, marking the first time in human history that such samples were retrieved and prepared for transport back to Earth. These samples have not only enhanced the understanding of the far side's geological characteristics, but also provided valuable insights into the usability of lunar soil across different regions of the Moon.
Through rigorous experimentation, Chinese scientists have managed to transform materials similar to lunar soil into prototype bricks. These lunar soil bricks have even been sent into space for testing, representing a crucial step toward realizing the vision of constructing buildings by directly using lunar soil.
The Moon's harsh environment poses tremendous challenges for constructing the lunar research base as surface temperatures swing dramatically between 127 Degree Celsius during the day and negative 183 Degree Celsius at night, a range of 310 Degree Celsius that demands robust insulation and heat regulation. In addition, the Moon's microgravity and constant exposure to high-energy particle radiation place stringent requirements on the structural strength and durability of any construction materials.
To address these challenges, Ding's team has proposed an egg-shaped architectural design known as the "Moon Pot Vessel." Inspired by the natural strength and lightweight properties of eggshells, this innovative structure offers several advantages. Its thermal efficiency minimizes heat loss and absorption, making it well-suited to the Moon's extreme temperature fluctuations. The hollow, double-layer construction not only conserves materials, but also enhances insulation. The curved surface of the structure efficiently distributes external pressure, thus improving resistance to impacts and ensuring long-term stability.
With advancements in 3D printing technology, constructing buildings on the Moon by directly using lunar soil is becoming increasingly realistic. Ding's team envisions a process in which structures are 3D-printed layer by layer, beginning with a reinforced foundation created by using injection grouting techniques. Once the foundation is complete, robotic systems would print the walls and domes. For the dome structures, inflatable balloons would serve as temporary molds, over which 3D-printed material would be applied to form the final shape.
However, Ding also highlights the challenges inherent in large-scale 3D printing with lunar soil.
"One approach to building houses on the Moon is through 3D printing. For example, you could directly use lunar soil and process it with lasers for 3D printing. Alternatively, there are various powder-melting techniques that could be applied. However, lunar soil is somewhat similar to ceramic materials. If you're working on smaller structures, the problem is not too big. But if you're 3D printing a large building, it becomes prone to cracking," Ding said.
The mineral composition of lunar soil varies, with some components having melting points as high as 2,000 degrees and others having melting points of only a few hundred degrees. Higher temperature processing risks vaporizing low-melting-point minerals, leaving voids in the material. Conversely, lower temperature processing may leave high-melting-point minerals unbonded, leading to weak spots that could develop into cracks over time.
To solve these issues, Ding's team has drawn inspiration from traditional Chinese masonry techniques and timber joinery. They have proposed sintering lunar soil into bricks with interlocking mortise-and-tenon joints, which could then be assembled into structures by robotic systems. This modular approach distributes the risks associated with single-piece construction and allows for greater flexibility. 3D printing would still play a role in reinforcing the connections to ensure structural integrity.
Reflecting on the progress made, Ding noted that the idea of 3D printing lunar bases once seemed like a distant dream.
"Back in 2015, when we started exploring whether 3D printing could be used to build a lunar base and what materials could be used, it felt like a fantasy that is incredibly distant. But as we keep working, our understanding has deepened, and we have realized that it is not just our team making efforts. Scientists from all over the world are tackling this challenge together. For example, when it comes to energy issues, some experts told us, 'You don't need to worry about energy. There are specialized teams working on that. You'll just use their results when the time comes.' That realization has served as a big step forward. This is why interdisciplinary collaboration is so important. When these forces come together, they create something truly extraordinary," Ding said.
Ding believes that this pioneering work will not only facilitate lunar exploration, but also lay the groundwork for future missions to more distant destinations such as Mars. As the technology matures, it represents a significant leap forward in humanity's quest to explore and inhabit other celestial bodies.
"Today's experiments on the Moon provide foundational research that will help us go further in the future. They also position the Moon as a testbed for human deep-space exploration, enabling us to reach even greater distances," he said.
China-Lunar Base/Feasibility Verification
Dateline : Recent/File
Location : China
Duration : 2'25
FILE: China - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of animation showing construction robot working on lunar surface, "Moon Pot Vessel" on moon
Wuhan City, Hubei Province, central China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Model of China's future Moon base in National Center of Technology Innovation for Digital Construction (NCTI-DC)
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ding Lieyun, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; NCTI-DC chief scientist (starting with shot 2/partially overlaid with shot 4):
"One approach to building houses on the Moon is through 3D printing. For example, you could directly use lunar soil and process it with lasers for 3D printing. Alternatively, there are various powder-melting techniques that could be applied. However, lunar soil is somewhat similar to ceramic materials. If you're working on smaller structures, the problem is not too big. But if you're 3D printing a large building, it becomes prone to cracking."
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
4. Various of scientist analyzing lunar soil samples
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
5. Sign of NCTI-DC
6. Various of mortise, tenon joint
7. Various of 3D printer, printed model of foundation, "Moon Pot Vessel"
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ding Lieyun, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; NCTI-DC chief scientist (partially overlaid with shot 9):
"Back in 2015, when we started exploring whether 3D printing could be used to build a lunar base and what materials could be used, it felt like a fantasy that is incredibly distant. But as we keep working, our understanding has deepened, and we have realized that it is not just our team making efforts. Scientists from all over the world are tackling this challenge together. For example, when it comes to energy issues, some experts told us, 'You don't need to worry about energy. There are specialized teams working on that. You'll just use their results when the time comes.' That realization has served as a big step forward. This is why interdisciplinary collaboration is so important. When these forces come together, they create something truly extraordinary."
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
9. Scientist, 3D printer working
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: China - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
10. Various of animation showing Earth, Moon, construction robot building house on lunar surface
Wuhan City, Hubei Province, central China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ding Lieyun, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; NCTI-DC chief scientist (ending with shot 9):
"Today's experiments on the Moon provide foundational research that will help us go further in the future. They also position the Moon as a testbed for human deep-space exploration, enabling us to reach even greater distances."
FILE: China - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
12. Various of animation showing Earth, Moon
Chinese scientists are making strides toward a fascinating goal: building a lunar research base by applying 3D printing robot to print houses directly using lunar soil, with the feasibility of this innovative concept increasingly being validated.
The bold idea is spearheaded by a Chinese team led by Ding Lieyun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief scientist of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Digital Construction (NCTI-DC) at central China's Huazhong University. Ding's research team has focused on addressing three core challenges, namely materials, structure, and technology, gradually formulating an initial solution to the question of how to build houses on the Moon.
Given the immense costs of transporting construction materials across the vast distance between Earth and the Moon, utilizing in-situ resources is the optimal approach for building a lunar base. Lunar soil, or regolith, has been identified as a primary construction material as scientists have discovered that it contains abundant oxides, metals, and silicon compounds that could be processed into bricks or composite materials suitable for constructing the lunar research base.
This concept is far from theoretical. China's lunar exploration program, initiated with the Chang'e series of missions, has already achieved significant milestones in sampling and analyzing lunar soil. The Chang'e-3 mission in 2013 conducted the first in-situ analysis of lunar soil composition, confirming its basic structural components. In 2020, the Chang'e-5 mission successfully returned 1,731 grams of lunar soil samples to Earth, providing critical data on its processability and plasticity. The subsequent Chang'e-6 mission in 2024 made history by collecting samples from the Moon's far side, marking the first time in human history that such samples were retrieved and prepared for transport back to Earth. These samples have not only enhanced the understanding of the far side's geological characteristics, but also provided valuable insights into the usability of lunar soil across different regions of the Moon.
Through rigorous experimentation, Chinese scientists have managed to transform materials similar to lunar soil into prototype bricks. These lunar soil bricks have even been sent into space for testing, representing a crucial step toward realizing the vision of constructing buildings by directly using lunar soil.
The Moon's harsh environment poses tremendous challenges for constructing the lunar research base as surface temperatures swing dramatically between 127 Degree Celsius during the day and negative 183 Degree Celsius at night, a range of 310 Degree Celsius that demands robust insulation and heat regulation. In addition, the Moon's microgravity and constant exposure to high-energy particle radiation place stringent requirements on the structural strength and durability of any construction materials.
To address these challenges, Ding's team has proposed an egg-shaped architectural design known as the "Moon Pot Vessel." Inspired by the natural strength and lightweight properties of eggshells, this innovative structure offers several advantages. Its thermal efficiency minimizes heat loss and absorption, making it well-suited to the Moon's extreme temperature fluctuations. The hollow, double-layer construction not only conserves materials, but also enhances insulation. The curved surface of the structure efficiently distributes external pressure, thus improving resistance to impacts and ensuring long-term stability.
With advancements in 3D printing technology, constructing buildings on the Moon by directly using lunar soil is becoming increasingly realistic. Ding's team envisions a process in which structures are 3D-printed layer by layer, beginning with a reinforced foundation created by using injection grouting techniques. Once the foundation is complete, robotic systems would print the walls and domes. For the dome structures, inflatable balloons would serve as temporary molds, over which 3D-printed material would be applied to form the final shape.
However, Ding also highlights the challenges inherent in large-scale 3D printing with lunar soil.
"One approach to building houses on the Moon is through 3D printing. For example, you could directly use lunar soil and process it with lasers for 3D printing. Alternatively, there are various powder-melting techniques that could be applied. However, lunar soil is somewhat similar to ceramic materials. If you're working on smaller structures, the problem is not too big. But if you're 3D printing a large building, it becomes prone to cracking," Ding said.
The mineral composition of lunar soil varies, with some components having melting points as high as 2,000 degrees and others having melting points of only a few hundred degrees. Higher temperature processing risks vaporizing low-melting-point minerals, leaving voids in the material. Conversely, lower temperature processing may leave high-melting-point minerals unbonded, leading to weak spots that could develop into cracks over time.
To solve these issues, Ding's team has drawn inspiration from traditional Chinese masonry techniques and timber joinery. They have proposed sintering lunar soil into bricks with interlocking mortise-and-tenon joints, which could then be assembled into structures by robotic systems. This modular approach distributes the risks associated with single-piece construction and allows for greater flexibility. 3D printing would still play a role in reinforcing the connections to ensure structural integrity.
Reflecting on the progress made, Ding noted that the idea of 3D printing lunar bases once seemed like a distant dream.
"Back in 2015, when we started exploring whether 3D printing could be used to build a lunar base and what materials could be used, it felt like a fantasy that is incredibly distant. But as we keep working, our understanding has deepened, and we have realized that it is not just our team making efforts. Scientists from all over the world are tackling this challenge together. For example, when it comes to energy issues, some experts told us, 'You don't need to worry about energy. There are specialized teams working on that. You'll just use their results when the time comes.' That realization has served as a big step forward. This is why interdisciplinary collaboration is so important. When these forces come together, they create something truly extraordinary," Ding said.
Ding believes that this pioneering work will not only facilitate lunar exploration, but also lay the groundwork for future missions to more distant destinations such as Mars. As the technology matures, it represents a significant leap forward in humanity's quest to explore and inhabit other celestial bodies.
"Today's experiments on the Moon provide foundational research that will help us go further in the future. They also position the Moon as a testbed for human deep-space exploration, enabling us to reach even greater distances," he said.
ID : 8405321
Published : 2024-11-26 17:39
Last Modified : 2024-11-28 17:28:18
Source : China Central Television (CCTV)
Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland
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