China has unveiled a breakthrough solar-powered technology capable of transforming lunar soil into construction bricks, marking a significant step toward building permanent infrastructure on the Moon. According to TV BRICS, a Chinese space-technology laboratory has created the world’s first proof-of-concept system that melts simulated moon dust using concentrated solar energy above 1,300°C. The molten material is then molded into bricks suitable for building roads, landing pads, and research facilities.
The system uses a parabolic reflector and fiber-optic bundle to amplify sunlight more than 3,000 times, enabling high-temperature melting without additional energy sources. Researchers successfully tested it on various types of simulated lunar regolith, confirming its adaptability. “This technology shows the potential for in-situ resource utilization, allowing astronauts to build directly with lunar materials instead of importing them from Earth,” said Dr. Wang Yifeng of the China Academy of Space Technology.
The innovation supports China’s International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) — a project to establish a scientific base near the Moon’s south pole by 2035, with further expansion envisioned in the 2040s. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) stated that the new system is expected to be tested aboard the Chang’e-8 mission, scheduled for 2028, which will focus on resource utilization and 3D-printing technologies.
Experts say the breakthrough could drastically cut construction costs, estimated at nearly $1 million per kilogram to transport materials from Earth. “China is signaling not just a race to land astronauts, but to stay and build sustainably,” noted Dr. Eric Berger, a U.S.-based space policy analyst.
As global competition accelerates between China’s ILRS and NASA’s Artemis programs, the ability to convert moon dust into durable infrastructure could determine who leads the next phase of space exploration — not through rockets, but through the art of construction on another world.
