Beijing: In the upcoming years, China has a number of lunar missions planned, including the first-ever return of samples from the far side of the Moon. In the most recent development, the Chang'e 8 mission will be used to test the viability of 3D printing to construct buildings on the Moon, according to the head planner of China's lunar programmes.

It has long been known that some space agencies plan to establish a permanent lunar base. Even though it may be a while off, the process would need careful planning.

It is impossible to ship all the supplies needed for construction from Earth, and doing so would be extremely expensive.
Where 3D printing technology could make a difference is there.

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On the south pole of the Moon, the Chang'e 8 robotic probe is scheduled to land. There, it will conduct on-site analyses of the local environment and mineral makeup. The mission will investigate the potential for future lunar construction using cutting-edge technologies, like 3D printing.

According to Wu Weiren of the China National Space Administration, if we want to spend a lot of time on the Moon, we must build stations out of materials found there.

The "raw material" will be lunar soil, which will be "printed into construction units."Chinese universities "have already started researching potential 3D printing uses on the Moon," he continued.

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In 2028, Chang'e 8 is expected to launch. The Chang'e 6 and Chang'e 7 expeditions will come before it. On the far side of the Moon, the Chang'e 6 robotic mission will touch down. It will bring back samples of soil and rocks for analysis back on Earth. Four parts make up the Chang'e 6 probe: a lander, an orbiter, an ascender, and a reentry module.

The Moon has become tidally locked, meaning that it always faces the same side of the Earth as a result of the tidal friction brought on by the Earth's gravitational pull. The near side of the Moon is referred to as this side. Samples from the near side of the satellite were already brought back by China's Chang'e 5 mission.

Scientists are particularly interested in the far side, also known as the moon's other side. Weiren stated, "If Chang'e 6 is successful, it will be the first time we obtain samples from the moon's far side. The mission is scheduled to launch sometime in 2025.

In 2026, Chang'e 7 will come after Chang'e 6. In the latter, "high-precision investigations" will be carried out. The Chang'e 7 mission will examine the environment and weather at the South Pole, survey the landform, and search for signs of water there, according to Weiren. A "flyby craft" on the probe will fly into pits on the lunar surface to search for ice, the scientist said.

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Weiren claims that Chang'e 7 will make an effort to find the natural resources that lie beneath the surface of the lunar South Pole. "Mission planners are trying to assess if we can use the probe to dig into the surface and study underground structures and their composition," he stated.