--- title: "Chinese Scientists Ponder Moon Base Inside Ancient Lunar Lava Tube" description: "Chinese researchers are investigating the feasibility of having astronauts shelter in space inside lava tubes on the lunar surface, an exciting prospect that could one day allow astronauts to establish a more permanent presence once there. Scientists have long suspected that the lunar surface is riddled with intricate systems of hollow, tube-shaped tunnels, left behind […]" date: "2023-09-28" modified: "2023-09-28" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/chinese-scientists-moon-base-lava-tube" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "china" - "lava tubes" - "moon" - "the digest" --- # Chinese Scientists Ponder Moon Base Inside Ancient Lunar Lava Tube ![Chinese researchers are investigating the feasibility of having astronauts shelter in space inside lava tubes on the lunar surface.]() *\Image: NASA / Futurism\* ## Dig Dug Chinese researchers are investigating the feasibility of having astronauts construct a base inside lava tubes under the lunar surface, an exciting prospect that could one day allow astronauts to establish a more permanent presence on the Moon. Scientists have long suspected that our natural satellite is riddled with intricate systems of hollow, tube-like tunnels, left behind by ancient lava currents. Our evidence so far is still relatively limited, with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter picturing hundreds of "skylights," [per *Universe Today*](), which scientists suspect were left behind after tunnel ceilings collapsed. But we have yet to get a first-hand look at these structures — if they exist as we've been picturing them at all, that is. But if they are there, international space agencies are intrigued. Once inside a lava tube, astronauts could be sheltered not only from showers of micrometeorites but also from the dangerous levels of radiation the atmosphere-less space rock is blasted with. ## Lunar Skylight During a recent conference, Zhang Chongfeng from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology said that future spacecraft and lunar landers could explore these lava tubes, [according to state-run news outlet *Xinhua*](). Zhang and his colleagues have been studying lava caves in China to get a better understanding of the structures. To explore the vertical "skylight" entrances to these caves, the researchers suggest that space travelers may have to fly inside with a spacecraft. China isn't alone in investigating the idea. NASA scientists have also been exploring ways to do just that for well [over a decade](), with various teams coming up with a number of solutions over the years, [from "hopping pit-bots" to rolling spacecraft](). To hone in on a destination, Chinese researchers have picked lava tubes at the Moon's Mare Tranquillitatis and Mare Fecunditatis as their primary targets, according to *Xinhua*. They suggest we could probe the surrounding areas and openings with walking or wheeled robots capable of adapting to a range of different environments. Zhang suggests auxiliary spacecraft could fly into these caves to map the walls and ceilings with radars. A lunar base could be composed of multiple residential and scientific research cabins inside the cave with a communication and energy hub at the entrance, Zhang proposed. But getting to the point where Chinese taikonauts could set up shop inside one of these lava tubes could take many years. At the same time, the country has made astonishing progress in terms of exploring the lunar surface — China has successfully sent several rovers to the lunar surface [over the last decade]() — and its first crewed landing is tentatively scheduled for 2030. **More on China and the Moon:** *[China Announces Plans to Build Moon Base Using Lunar Soil]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()