Chinese scientists build 'Artificial Moon' to conduct experiments in low gravity

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 20:10:19 GMT
Space Daily

Moscow (Sputnik) Jan 18, 2022 According to the South China Morning Post, the facility located in...

According to the South China Morning Post, the facility located in Jiangsu Province, will play an important part in the exploration of the Moon as China plans to land its astronauts on Earth's satellite by 2030 and set up a base there.

Chinese scientists have built an artificial moon that will make it possible to conduct experiments in low gravity.

According to the researchers, their creation is the first of its kind in the world and is designed so that it can make gravity "Disappear".

Chinese researchers simulated the lunar landscape in the room, putting rocks and dust in there.

Simulating low gravity requires flying in an aircraft and tests last minutes, with this artificial moon one can simulate low gravity "For as long as you want", its creators say.

Chinese scientists now plan to test the facility on Earth before it will be sent to the Moon, where gravity is about a sixth of that on our planet.

Further tests may reveal whether 3D printing is possible on the lunar surface and if the answer is yes, then this will facilitate exploration of the Moon - instead of sending heavy and expensive equipment to our satellite, researchers will be able to build it there.

The researchers plan to make the facility available to scientists around the world.

Beijing plans to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030 and set up a base there some time later.

Incidentally, Chinese researchers are also conducting experiments with an "Artificial sun".

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