--- title: "Chinese scientists construct a \"artificial moon\" on Earth to test lunar exploration technology." description: "It takes a lot of effort to create an environment like the Moon despite Earth's stronger gravitational pull." author: "Vallabha Buddepu" published: 2022-01-19 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/1260/chinese-scientists-construct-a-artificial-moon-on-earth-to-test-lunar-exploration-technology category: "space and research" tags: ["technology news", "moon", "space science"] reading_time: 2 minutes --- # Chinese scientists construct a "artificial moon" on Earth to test lunar exploration technology. ## HIGHLIGHTS According to reports, the Chinese facility simulates lunar low-gravity situations. There will be pebbles and dust in the simulation. The simulator has a diameter of around two feet. ## WHY IN NEWS The competition for [space exploration](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/302957/spacetech-surges-recent-breakthroughs-in-space-exploration) is [heating up](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/109200/why-is-my-laptop-heating-up-excessively-during-video-editing-tasks), with major nations concentrating their efforts on establishing a lunar outpost to aid operations beyond the [International Space](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114598/how-does-the-international-space-station-iss-benefit-from-nasa-s-research) Station (ISS). China is not far behind the [United States](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2228/the-united-states-claims-seagate-broke-export-laws-by-selling-huawei-hard-drives) in realigning its strategy to return humans to the Moon. Its scientists have built a 'artificial moon' on Earth to test low-gravity technologies and equipment. The laboratory, which is located in eastern Jiangsu province, is intended to provide crucial research for China's [lunar missions](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/85837/comparing-chandrayaan-missions-with-other-lunar-missions). It is expected to be released shortly, though no exact date has been set. **read more :** https://tinyurl.com/yckwftc6 The Moon's gravitational attraction is one-sixth that of the Earth. Developing that environment here, despite Earth's greater [gravitational pull](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/37694/what-black-hole-has-such-an-incredible-gravitational-pull), is substantial and might enhance [lunar exploration](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/115557/how-did-the-soviet-union-s-luna-program-pave-the-way-for-future-lunar-exploration-missions) by a factor of ten. NASA is now training astronauts on how to manage themselves in microgravity during parabolic flights. The Chinese facility is reported to be capable of simulating low-gravity situations for an extended period of time. This would reduce China's reliance on parabolic flights for training and low-gravity conditions for testing new rovers and technology. 'While low gravity may be attained in an aeroplane or a drop tower, it is just temporary,' China University of Mining and Technology principal scientist Li Ruilin told the South China Morning Post. The simulator they're creating, according to Li, can produce low gravity for 'as long as you want.' **read more :** https://tinyurl.com/4tkp6jwu To generate an environment comparable to the lunar surface, the simulator will be filled with rocks and dust. One issue with the Chinese 'moon' is its size. There isn't much area for a manoeuvre because the simulator is just approximately two feet in diameter. This facility is intended for equipment testing and not for [astronaut training](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114602/which-international-space-station-partnered-with-isro-for-astronaut-training). Scientists working on the project claim that their model is based on Andre Geim's 1997 experiment. The Russian-born researcher used magnets to levitate a frog, demonstrating that repulsion may balance gravity when a diamagnetic item is put in a strong [magnetic field](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1622/astronomers-made-a-discovery-of-a-supermassive-black-hole-with-a-flipped-magnetic-field). ## \ --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/1260/chinese-scientists-construct-a-artificial-moon-on-earth-to-test-lunar-exploration-technology Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.