China launches Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on late Friday launched the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in southern Hainan province. The ceremony was telecast live on state media.

The mission is said to carry out a number of science experiments, as well as send supplies for astronauts.

One of the experiments on the spacecraft will focus on bricks created from lunar soil simulant. These bricks will be tested in the harsh conditions of space to evaluate their suitability for constructing lunar habitats.

The bricks will undergo exposure tests over the course of three years, facing bombardment from ultraviolet light and cosmic rays, as well as extreme temperature variations.

This will assess their strength and durability in extreme environments and observe how the materials perform in the vacuum of space.

China aims to establish its International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in the 2030s.