What is an artificial moon developed by China and what is it for?

Like a science fiction movie, this week news about the development of one artificial moon, Manufactured by the Chinese government.

This news was repeated in all the media around the world, but most of the readers did not fully understand the reason behind this innovation.

Below we tell you the details of this strange scientific development that could help space exploration and revolutionize it in more ways than one.

chinese artificial moon

When it was announced that China had a “artificial moon“Some unsuspecting people thought this was a type of spacecraft that would replicate the appearance of our satellite.

While Chinese technology isn’t exactly the same, it’s a lot more impressive than you might think.

In fact, it is a scientific research facility, with the final detail being given within its walls to a kind of small simulator that can replicate physical and climatic conditions. Luna,

That is to say, it is a small device that is conditioned to simulate the conditions Luna, Although it sounds less impressive than a “false moon,” it’s more important than you might think.

First, develop technology that simulates a low-gravity environment moon It’s not easy.

To achieve this, Chinese scientists developed magnetic field technology, under the same principles that allowed 25 years ago Taking a Frog to the UK,

In a 1997 experiment, magnets were used to balance the frog’s gravity, allowing it to fly with stable equilibrium.

This is not easy to do with a small laboratory, and requires a lot of effort, technology, and money.

diamagnetic levitation

The technology that allowed this Chinese innovation to work was developed in 1997 by a British scientist Andre Geim, in the above floating frog experiment.

At that point, due to curiosity about carrying the frog, Geim won. Ig Nobel That year, prizes were awarded to the most ridiculous inventions.

Geim’s frog was made possible by the principles of leverage diamagnetic levitation,

It is a type of levitation that is obtained by applying an external magnetic field to the atoms of an object.

With it, the electrons modify their movement, creating their own magnetic field to oppose the external magnetic field.

Usually this is achieved with the help of magnets, which must be strong enough that the magnetic force of repulsion between it and the field of atoms “overcomes” gravity and allows the object to levitate.

Interestingly, for his study on graphene, Jim won the award physics nobel -Now the real one- in 2010.

So that?

According to local media, the Chinese artificial moon will levitate this year in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.

Thanks to its technology based on magnetism, it will be possible to replicate the conditions of Luna in a 60 cm vacuum chamber.

If all goes well, the camera will be able to float indefinitely, allowing it to be filled with rocks and dust to mimic the surface of the Moon.

Now, what is this for? artificial moon, China is planning to launch a manned mission to the Moon, including building a permanent base on our satellite.

To achieve this ambitious plan, a lot of the technology currently being developed is needed, and Chinese experts think it is better to test their technology before starting their mission.

that is artificial moon It will serve to test the technology that Chinese scientists are developing, in a low-gravity environment practically equivalent to that of the Moon.

Experts will be able to see for the first time how materials deform under the conditions of the Moon, as well as their resistance time.

the idea is to take advantage of Luna Lies to avoid problems, and to be able to test technology that is currently under development without too much expense and with too much control.