Recently, Ouyang Ziyuan, the first chief scientist of China's lunar exploration project and "the father of Chang'e", participated in the "2024 NetEase Economists Annual Meeting". He said at the event that the moon exhausted its energy 2 billion years ago, leaving only a shell.It is reported that scientists successfully proved that the moon still had magma activity 1.96 billion years ago through analysis of the "lunar soil" brought back by Chang'e 5, setting a new date for the moon's death.
But today the moon is still of great significance to mankind, such as observing the Milky Way, detecting the earth's environment, predicting major changes in the earth's environment, etc.
The details are as follows:
1. Construction of experimental base:In the subsequent lunar exploration project, our mission is to establish a lunar scientific research station, then conduct manned lunar landings, and finally build a lunar base. In 2030, we will basically complete the unmanned lunar exploration project, and then establish a scientific research station on the moon.
2. Resource development:The moon has no atmosphere, a harsh environment, and very rich solar energy resources. Someone has calculated that the solar radiation energy reaching the moon every year is equivalent to 25,000 times the energy consumed by the earth every year. As long as a small part of the solar energy is transmitted from the moon to the earth, it is possible for us to bid farewell to fossil energy and truly achieve clean energy.
In addition to solar energy, the moon also has abundant helium-3 resources. According to measurements, there are a total of 1.03 million to 1.29 million tons of helium-3 in the soil of the moon. If this helium-3 is used as a raw material for nuclear fusion power generation, it can meet the energy needs of human society for the next 10,000 years.
3. Transfer station for interplanetary exploration:The moon's gravity is very small, only one-sixth that of the earth, so launching rockets on the moon consumes much less energy than on the earth. It can be turned into a transit station for Mars or deep space exploration.