(Two Sessions Express) Can the moon grow vegetables? Chief designer of China's lunar exploration project: does not rule out artificial cultivation at the lunar research station in the future
China News Service, Beijing, March 11 (Guo Chaokai, Xu Pengpeng, Wang Chao) The question of "can the moon grow vegetables" has been on social platforms several times recently.
During the National Two Sessions, Wu Weiren, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, responded to this, saying that it is not realistic to grow vegetables and food in the current natural environment of the moon, but does not rule out the future at the lunar scientific research station. Carry out artificial cultivation.
Wu Weiren explained: “According to scientists, there may be water ice in the south pole of the moon. There should be water in the process of the moon’s creation. There are deep moon holes in the south and north poles of the moon. There is no sunlight and water in the holes for a long time. It is likely to exist in the form of water ice." In the future, China will explore the south pole of the moon, and finding water ice is a very important scientific goal.
There is no air on the moon, and the natural environment on the moon is currently unable to grow vegetables, but it is not ruled out that in the future, through the construction of lunar scientific research stations, artificial cultivation of vegetables and food can be used.
Lunar exploration has always been a hot spot for countries all over the world to explore space.
On December 17, 2020, the Chang'e-5 returner successfully landed on Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia with about 1731 grams of lunar samples, achieving China’s first extraterrestrial celestial body sampling and returning, marking a successful three-step “return” for the Chinese lunar exploration project period.
The public is very concerned about the research progress of Chang'e-5 lunar samples.
Wu Weiren said that the lunar samples are mainly lunar soil, containing fine mineral particles, rock fragments and vitreous particles.
"What is the difference between the lunar soil and the soil or stones on the earth? After comparison, testing, and analysis, there are some differences between the lunar samples and the geological structure of the Beijing area, and some indicators are still relatively large. Scientists need to do further research."
Wu Weiren pointed out that the lunar samples collected will include three types of uses.
The first and most important purpose is to conduct scientific research; secondly, some samples will be put into the National Museum of Tibet for display to the public and conduct popular science education; thirdly, in accordance with international cooperation conventions and bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements, China will release lunar samples and data management Methods, shared with relevant countries and scientists around the world.
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