China explores moon environments with

HARBIN, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Scientists in Harbin City, the capital of China's northernmost province, are delving deeper into humanity's last frontier using the Space Environment Simulation and Research Infrastructure.

Dubbed the "ground space station," the facility was jointly built by the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The facility became operational in late February.

The purpose of the project is to simulate real cosmic environments for related studies, available for scientists worldwide, said Li Liyi, director of the Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences of HIT and executive deputy general commander of the project.

"Taking the Moon's surface as an example, its extreme environment is characterized by large temperature variations, a high vacuum, and charged lunar dust due to the combined effects of ultraviolet rays, cosmic rays, and electron irradiation," said Li Lifang, director of the Research Laboratory of Space Materials and Environmental Engineering.

Li noted that the Lunar Dust Cabin is equipped with a three-storey vertical vacuum chamber to accommodate experimental devices. The roof of the chamber is fitted with a lunar dust spraying mechanism to spray lunar dust simulant, thereby simulating dust falls on the lunar surface. Attached to the chamber walls are an electron accelerator, X-ray irradiation sources, and an array of deuterium lamps which charge the dust with negative or positive electric potential.

She elaborated that her team has mastered several technologies that enable accurate simulation of the lunar surface environment.

"In the future, many more space experiments can be accomplished on the ground with our devices, taking us closer to the universe and deep space exploration," Li said.