Chinese scientists discovered materials from glass in lunar surface samples collected by the mission Chang’e-5something that could “support the future construction of bases” on the satellite.
He discovery shows that lunar soil “has excellent properties to form and mold glass material”, according to experts from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, quoted today by the local newspaper Global Times.
These materials they could be used “to produce construction materials ‘in situ’ on the lunar surface,” said the researcher. shen laiquanof the aforementioned institution.
“The glass suffered impacts meteorites at multiple scales ranging from several kilometers to nanometers, and the different shapes of the glass could reflect the intensity of the collision,” explained the expert. Zhao Ruiwho added that the finding “is important for understanding the formation and evolution of the lunar soil.”
The Chang’e 5 traveled in 2020 to the satelitefrom where he collected 1,731 grams of soil samples.
On future missions, China plans to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ISIL) on the Moon with the cooperation of other countries.
He program Chang’e (named after a goddess who, according to Chinese legends, lives on the Moon) began with the launch of a first probe in 2007.
In recent years, beijing It has invested heavily in its space program and has achieved milestones such as the successful landing of a probe on the far side of the Moon in January 2019, an achievement that no country had achieved to date.