China Plans to Build Nuclear-Powered Moon Base Within Six Years

中国计划六年内在月球建造核动力基地

China plans to build its first base on the moon by 2028, ahead of landing astronauts there in subsequent years as the country steps up its challenge to NASA’s dominance in space exploration.

The lunar base will likely be powered by nuclear energy, Caixn reported. Its basic configuration will consist of a lander, hopper, orbiter and rover, all of which would be constructed by the Chang’e 6, 7 and 8 missions.

“Our astronauts will likely be able to go to the moon within 10 years,” Wu Weiran, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, said in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week. Nuclear energy can address the lunar station’s long-term, high-power energy needs, he said.

中国加大了对美国宇航局在太空探索领域霸主地位的挑战，计划在2028年之前在月球上建立第一个基地，随后几年内将宇航员送上月球。

据财新网报道，该月球基地可能由核能驱动，包括着陆器、料斗、轨道飞行器和探月车，将通过嫦娥6号、7号和8号搭建。

中国探月计划总设计师吴伟仁本周接受中央电视台采访时表示：“我们的宇航员可能在10年内登上月球。”他说，核能可以满足月球站长期、大功率的能源需求。

China has ramped up its ambitions in space in recent years, sending probes to the moon, building its own space station and setting its sights on Mars. The plans have put it in direct competition with the US. NASA has a rover on the Red Planet and is seeking to return astronauts to the moon this decade for the first time since the Apollo program ended in the 1970s.

Both China and the US are spending billions of dollars to not just put humans on the moon, but also to access resources that could foster life on the lunar surface or send spacecraft to Mars.

In 2019, China became the first country to land a rover on the far side of the moon, and later brought back its first lunar samples. The base is intended to be the first outpost on the moon’s South Pole, an area scientists think is the best place to find water.

近年来，中国为太空梦加足马力，向月球发射了探测器，建造了自己的空间站，并将目光投向了火星。这些行动导致了中国与美国的直接竞争。美国国家航空航天局在月球上有一辆月球车，希望在十年内让宇航员重返月球，这是自上世纪70年代阿波罗计划后的第一次。

中国和美国都花费了数十亿美元，不单单为了将人类送上月球，还为了获得在月球表面培育生命的资源，或者向火星发射宇宙飞船。

2019年，中国成为第一个在月球背面登陆的国家，随后带回了第一批月球样本。该基地将成为月球南极的第一个前哨基地，科学家认为月球南极是最有可能发现水的地点。

以下是美国reddit网民的评论：

cynical_gramps

This explains the noise NASA has been making. The good thing that comes out of it is that no way will the US government want to let China upstage them, so I’m expecting increased budgets for space exploration.

难怪NASA最近一直在叽叽歪歪。美国政府绝不会让中国抢了他们的风头，所以我猜太空探索的预算会增加。

UNBENDING_FLEA

Yeah, I was wondering why all that Cold War esque NASA rhetoric came out of the left field, this explains it lol. Hopefully the federal govt will cut NASA loose from congressional whims and let them set up a moon base quicker.

是的，我还奇怪为什么NASA发表了那么多冷战言论，原来这就是原因，哈哈。希望联邦政府能把NASA从国会的妄想中拽出来，让他们更快地建立月球基地。

HanzoXHanzo

Oh shit, Space Race 2.

这不就是太空争霸2吗。

lego_office_worker

TBF, theres no universe in exstence where anyone is setting up a nuclear powered moonbase in 6 years.

世界上不可能有人能在6年内在月球建好核动力基地。

bohemiantranslation

There's gotta be oil on the moon, I can feel it.

月球上肯定有石油，我能感觉到。

TerminalJovian

Aerospace and whatnot indeed seems to be turning into a lucrative job market.

航空航天等行业似乎正在变成一本万利的就业市场。

SectorEducational460

Dude, if this gets the us government to take its head out of its ass then this will be a god send. Somehow I don't see it happening because we are balls deep into culture war bullcrap.

伙计，如果这能让美国政府恢复理智，那这就是来自上帝的好消息。但我总觉得这不会发生，因为我们深陷战争的废话中。

brian9000

That, and the not-so-subtle suggestion of militarization, the moon is about to become super important.

再加上算不上微妙的军事化迹象，月球的地位将超级重要。 

ickyrickysticky

Or the US will realize China is in a downward spiral and is unlikely to ever land anyone on the moon.

也可能美国会发现中国正在走下坡路，不太可能将宇航员送上月球。

Background-Use-3577

Yeah ngl this sounds good. Space Race

恩，听起来不错。太空争霸赛。

alakeya

This is so exciting, Gosh. Some good old competition and humanity will be the one that gains from it.

这太令人兴奋了，天哪。又搞争霸赛了，整个人类都将从中受益。

SvenTropics

Agreed, but I think it's all just noise. It would be a massive investment.

同意，但我觉得这些都是废话。耗资会很大。

MoodooScavenger

They are right to do so. The ISS is old tech and deteriorating away. Also keep in mind it was worked by many countries space agencies. Russia being one that I think dropped out.

他们这么做也没错。ISS国际空间站的技术太老旧了，一天不如一天。而且还是很多国家的太空机构共同完成的。俄罗斯应该已经退出了。

Inside-Example-7010

Great musk is gonna be rich again.

马斯克又要暴富了。

Mandula123

I'll Drink to That

我会举杯祝贺的。

Abusive_Capybara

Fuck yeah a new space race for the first base on the moon.

是啊，为了在月球上建立第一个基地，展开新一轮太空竞赛。

Dragon-Captain

The Race for the Base! Nixon’s gonna love it!

为了基地大干一场！尼克松会喜欢的！

adventure_in_gnarnia

Space race ! Space race ! Space race !

太空竞赛！太空竞赛！太空竞赛！

runaway-thread

Turns out Space Force on Netflix was actually a documentary about future events.

原来Netflix上的《太空部队》就是关于未来的纪录片啊。

1handedmaster

Don't worry, our taxes will fund the tech and we'll definitely have a chance to be sold it privately.

别担心，我们的税收会为技术提供资金，日后肯定有机会私下出售。

Dense-Butterscotch30

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't nuclear power require a lot of cooling? Which is normally achieved either water or air, neither of which are present on the moon?

如果我说错了请指正，但是我记得核能需要大量的冷却媒介？通常是用水或空气来冷却，但这两者在月球上都不存在吧?

danielravennest

Yes it does. The surface nuclear power reactor being worked on by NASA would produce 30 kW electric, and 90 kW thermal (i.e. 25% conversion efficiency).

是的。美国宇航局正在研究的地面核动力反应堆将产生30千瓦的电力和90千瓦的热电(转换效率25%)。

meelow222

Thermal radiators probably, so lots of surface area of basically mirrors to get the heat out.

Maybe there'd be a way to use the moon itself as a heat sink with a lot of small tubes and cooling water. The rock is too much of an insulator for that probably.

可能是热辐射器，所以用很多曲面镜来散热。

也许可以想办法把月球本身当做一个散热器，里面有很多小管子和冷却水。岩石的绝缘体可能太大了。

Anglichaninn

All space nuclear reactors designed to date rely on radiative cooling using giant closed loop radiators, using either a liquid metal of some kind or heat pipes that can carry the heat away from the power conversion system.

迄今为止，人类设计的所有太空核反应堆都必须使用巨大的闭环散热器进行辐射冷却，使用某种液态金属或热管，可以带走动力转换系统中的热能。

designmaddie

Closed loop heat transfer systems that turn turbines? Radiators?

转动涡轮的闭环传热系统？散热器？

kassienaravi

Radiative cooling increases in efficiency with temperature. So as long as you have the materials to run it really hot, cooling is possible even if it's less efficient than convection and conduction.

辐射冷却的效率随着温度的升高而提高。所以只要有足够的材料让它加热，冷却是有可能的，但不如对流和传导快。

Duuudewhaaatt

The moon does supposedly have water-ice.

月球上据传是有水冰的。

AndarianDequer

You would think because people assume space is "cold" that would be enough, but you have to have something that brings in the cold or dissipates the heat.

你可能会认为，因为人们认为太空“冷”，这就足够了，但你必须用某些东西来吸收寒冷或消散热量。

Immelmaneuver

I imagine that a coolant loop with radiators placed in the cold vacuum of space would work, unless I'm misunderstanding the heat transfers involved.

如果不是我没搞清楚其中的热量传递原理，不然我认为将冷却剂循环与散热器放置在太空的冷真空中是可行的。

Impossible34o_

How does NASA now use this to get more funding to accelerate a moon base? Can they get more money before the next budget? How will they get congress to pass more funding and how much will they need to compete with China?

美国宇航局现在要怎么利用这一点获得更多的资金，加速月球基地的建设呢？他们能在下一笔预算前搂到更多的钱吗？他们要怎么让国会批准更多的资金？他们究竟需要多少才能与中国竞争？

Khourieat

I didn't know they even had a moon-capable rocket.

I'm down for a moon-base-space-race though!

我都不知道他们居然拥有可以飞到月球的火箭。

不过我支持月球基地的太空竞赛！