China proposes building “Extraterrestrial Planet Cave Bases” for humans in space

The Center of Space Exploration (COSE) in China, has proposed building “Extraterrestrial Planet Cave Bases” for humans in space.

According to a press release on 30 December, the proposal was presented at the International Conference on Space Habitation and Exploitation 2024 held in Chongqing.

Primarily, the caves will serve as the foundation for lunar and Martian bases and the center is looking for collaborations with global scientists to achieve it.

Building on the past

The proposal to build extraterrestrial caves is an idea meant to build on past achievements. The  Deputy President of COSE, Xie Gengxin and his team had in 2019 developed a biological experimental payload, which was carried by the Chang’e-4 mission to the Moon.

At the time, the mission successfully established the first miniature ecological system and cultivated the first plant on the Moon’s far side. 

It is on the basis of this achievement that COSE is proposing the building of survival bases on extraterrestrial planets. 

In preparation, They have explored over one hundred karst caves in China, and chosen a site at Youyang (named as Youyang Base), Chongqing to conduct ecosystem experiments in the large-scale closed cave system.

Approximately 3,000 meters long, the cave system of Youyang Base has a maximum width of 130 meters with its highest point reaching 108 meters. 

The project will involve three phases, including Lava Tube Modification Phase, Cave Farm Construction Phase, and Habitat Construction Phase.

China getting ahead

The proposal to build cave bases for humans in space is a major breakthrough in space research, but it’s just one of China’s many achievements.

Just last week, the Chinese military unveiled the world’s largest amphibious war ship which is the first of its kind. It is also officially the first country to produce 10 million electric vehicles in a year.

With the successful competition of this space project, China will still set another record as the first to build such cave bases in space.