China succeeded in building an artificial moon research facility that uses magnetism to reduce gravity levels. Here’s all about the new addition to improving lunar space technology.
All you need to know about the China’s artificial moon
The artificial moon facility will be filled with dust and rocks to mimic the moon’s surface. The facility can make gravity ‘disappear’ with the help of strong magnetic fields present in a 60cm vacuum chamber. It will be launching sometime in 2022. China will use the low-gravity environment for testing technology and instrument. It will aid in improving the success of experiments on the lunar surface. Additionally, the artificial moon will also help in deciding the possibility of humans settling on the natural satellite.
The facility is the first of its kind. And, according to Li Ruilin, the low-gravity levels can last for “as long as you want”. Li is a geotechnical engineer at the China University of Mining and Technology. “Some experiments such as an impact test need just a few seconds [in the simulator]. But others such as creep testing can take several days,” added Li. Moreover, it was inspired by Andre Geim’s experiment that used a magnet to make a frog float.
China and its achievements in space
‘Chinese Lunar Exploration Program’ is currently ongoing. Under the program, their Chang’e 4 rover and langer are exploring the lunar surface. It recently reached a historic milestone by detecting water in real-time. The agency is also planning to start a lunar research station on the south mole of the satellite by 2029. Additionally, China was also successful in creating an artificial sun, a nuclear fusion reactor. The manmade sun superheated to a temperature five times greater than the sun. It will also help in creating a clean energy source for powering cities.
