Chang’e-8 to Pioneer Lunar Brickmaking via 3D Printing, Paving the Way for Moon Base Construction

As humanity ventures deeper into lunar exploration, the concept of establishing a permanent moon base is gradually becoming a tangible reality. China’s Chang’e-8 probe, scheduled for launch in 2028, will undertake a groundbreaking mission to 3D print bricks from lunar soil at the Moon’s south pole—marking a pivotal step toward the construction of a future “Palace of the Moon.” This mission not only represents a significant milestone in China’s lunar program, but also introduces a novel technological pathway for international deep space exploration.

3D Printing Bricks on the Lunar South Pole

As one of the key undertakings in the fourth phase of China’s lunar exploration program, the Chang’e-8 mission includes a core objective: the experimental 3D printing of lunar soil bricks. Equipped with advanced robotics and 3D printing systems, the probe will utilize the Moon’s regolith—the weathered layer of soil covering the surface—as raw material. Employing techniques such as microwave sintering and vacuum hot-pressing, the process will yield high-strength bricks. Ingeniously designed with traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon joinery, these bricks can be assembled without adhesives and exhibit a compressive strength more than three times that of ordinary red bricks, withstanding over one ton of pressure per square centimeter.

To validate the feasibility of these lunar soil bricks, China has already conducted multi-phase experiments both on Earth and in space:

- Ground Simulation: Volcanic ash from the Changbai Mountains in northeastern China—chosen for its chemical similarity to lunar regolith—was used to fabricate simulated bricks via vacuum hot-press sintering.

- Space Exposure Test: The Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft transported simulated lunar bricks to the exterior of the Tiangong space station, where they were subjected to cosmic radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations for three years to assess their durability.

On April 2, 2025, China announced the development of the world’s first “lunar soil brick-making machine,” capable of directly printing bricks of various specifications on the Moon’s surface—further solidifying the project’s technical foundation.

The “Lunar Robotics” Team

A multifunctional lunar surface operations robot, jointly developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and other institutions, will accompany the Chang’e-8 mission. Its features include:

- Engineering Capabilities: Assisting the mission in collecting lunar soil, deploying payloads, and assembling bricks. It will also act as a “mobile power bank,” providing energy and data connectivity to ensure the probe’s smooth operation.

- Autonomy and Adaptability: Equipped with AI navigation, the robot can navigate complex terrains and independently perform exploration, analysis, and construction tasks—highlighting China’s leadership in intelligent aerospace technology.

Compared to traditional approaches that rely on transporting materials from Earth, Chang’e-8’s in-situ resource utilization model drastically reduces costs. Rich in silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide, lunar regolith can be converted into ceramic-like materials. Combined with 3D printing, this enables the creation of modular architectural elements such as “lunar zuns” (ritual vessels)—a vision that has captured global attention. While the European Space Agency has proposed similar inflatable structures covered with lunar soil, China has taken the lead in turning this vision into engineering reality.

Despite its promising future, the actual performance of lunar soil bricks must be tested in the Moon’s harsh environment, where extreme temperatures, radiation, and moonquakes pose severe challenges to material stability.

Conclusion

The Chang’e-8 mission’s brickmaking experiment is not merely a technological trial—it is a milestone on humanity’s path to lunar settlement. From the mythical “Palace of the Moon” to real scientific bases, China is forging a new chapter in space exploration through innovation and determination. In the future, with mass production of lunar bricks and the assembly of modular bases, the Moon may witness its first permanent structures made in China—offering a firm foundation for humanity’s aspirations in deep space.