China, after its historical achievement of taking the first robotic lander on the moon in 2013, is now planning to land an astronaut by 2030.
On Monday, an official China Daily reported that the Asian giant will be exploring the moon using 3D printing technology for constricting buildings, as Beijing solidifies a long-term for lunar habitation.
The Chinese Lunar Exploration programme is designed to be conducted in four phases where the first programme for reaching lunar orbit was completed by 2007, Chang'e 1 named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon and Chang'e 2 in 2010.
The second phase is landing and roving on the moon as Chang'e 3 did in 2013 and Chang'e 4 in 2019.
The third is collecting lunar samples and sending them to Earth completed by Chang'e 5 in 2020 and planned for Chang'e 6 mission.
The fourth phase consists of developing a robotic research station near the Moon's south pole.
Between now and then China will be launching the Chang'e 6, 7 and 8 missions, for reusable resources on the moon for long-term human habitation.
The Chang'e 8 probe will conduct on-site investigations of the environment and mineral composition. It is also introduced to determine whether 3D printing technologies can be deployed on the lunar surface.
Wu Weiren, a scientist at the China National Space Administration, stated "If we wish to stay on the moon for a long time, we need to set up stations by using the moon's own materials,"
Earlier Chinese media reported that within five years China is looking forward to construct a lunar base using soil in the moon.
According to an expert from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, a robot tasked with making "lunar soil bricks" will be launched during the Chang'e 8 mission around 2028
In recent years there have been competitions from various parts of the world to set foot on the moon, particularly with the United States.
This month, NASA and Canada's space agency named four astronauts for the Artemis II mission planned for late 2024, in what would be the first human fly-by of the moon in decades.
