Chinese scientists develop lunar brick-making machine for future moon bases

A Chinese research team has unveiled a pioneering "lunar brick-making machine" capable of producing bricks directly from moon soil. This is reported by Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

Developed by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory in Hefei, this innovative system harnesses concentrated solar energy, focused by a parabolic reflector and transmitted through fibre optics, to melt lunar soil at temperatures exceeding 1,300°C. The result is dense, high-strength bricks created without any additives, making them suitable for use in buildings, equipment platforms, and roads on the moon.

Over a two-year development period, the team tackled numerous technical challenges, including energy transmission and soil variability. Because lunar soil composition differs across regions, the researchers created multiple simulated soil samples to ensure adaptability. 

Despite the machine’s success, experts acknowledge that lunar bricks alone are not enough to support full-scale habitation due to the moon's harsh environment, such as low gravity and vacuum conditions. The bricks will serve as protective outer layers in conjunction with other components like rigid structural modules and inflatable shells.

Further advancements are underway to integrate this technology into a complete lunar construction system, which includes automated assembly and validation processes suited for lunar surface conditions. 

Photo: Helen_Field / iStock