China has officially completed its first teaching and practice base for the "simulated moon underground space" program by the Jingbo Lake in Mudanjiang City of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Wednesday.
The latest scientific research indicates that there are considerable lava pipe systems distributed beneath the surfaces of the Moon and Mars. These underground spaces form a sharp contrast with the extremely harsh lunar surface environment. They not only provide a natural barrier for cosmic rays but also have significant strategic value due to the special attributes of their underground spaces.
For further research, Peking University, in collaboration with seven other universities in China, has established the country's first "simulated moon underground space" teaching and practice base in a volcanic lava cave of the Jingbo Lake, to conduct a series of forward-looking and innovative research closely related to deep space exploration.
"The underground volcanic lava pipes by the Jingbo Lake are the most similar environment on Earth to the underground space of the moon. I hope our forward-looking research can serve China's lunar exploration program," said Li Jiaqi, a researcher of Peking University.
Inside the lava cave, two robots are conducting autonomous exploration and multi-functional operations for the "simulated moon underground space".
"Compared with traditional lunar roving vehicles and exploration robots, it has stronger environmental adaptability and flexibility. When exploring the underground space of the moon for the future, it can possess more precise perception, decision-making and operation capabilities," said Li Xianglong, a doctoral student of Harbin Institute of Technology.
Outside the cave, on the open ground, college students were seen working in collaboration to set up seismometers.
"The data we collected from deploying seismometer this time will serve as a reference for our future deployment of seismometers on the moon," said Kang Yi, an undergraduate student of the School of Earth and Space Sciences of Peking University.
China completes first teaching practice base for simulated moon underground space
