China to send plants, microorganisms and lunar resource experiments to the Moon by 2028

SCIENCE: A Chinese mission to test resource technologies on the moon’s south pole is taking shape — and it may even include a humanoid form. Wang Qiong, chief designer of the Chang’e 8 lunar mission, recently presented an update on the project in Beijing, according to a post on Chinese social media. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 and will aim to land near the moon’s south pole. There it will conduct in-situ resource utilization technology tests — possibly using 3D-printing techniques to make bricks from lunar regolith. It will also conduct terrestrial ecosystem experiments.

The new post shows details of the Chang’e 8 spacecraft that will conduct the mission. The four-legged lander, derived from China’s previous successful Chang’e lunar landing, will carry an array of science instruments, including cameras, telescopes and a seismometer. It will also have a crane that will deploy payloads and spacecraft on the lunar surface.