Chinese scientists develop new magnetic launch system for the Moon

Chinese scientists They are developing a magnetic launch system for the Moon which works as an electromagnetic catapult, with the aim of sending lunar resources, such as helium-3, back to the Land.

Using powerful magnetic fields generated by superconductors, the system would accelerate payloads to lunar escape velocity, Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post reported Sunday.

According to a study published in the journal Aerospace Shanghai, by eliminating the need for large amounts of fuel, this method offers a more efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional chemical rockets, with an efficiency that allows more of the 70% of energy after each launch.

The technology developed by scientists at the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, similar to that used in magnetic levitation trains.

By generating a magnetic field using superconducting coils, the payload can be accelerated to extremely high speeds without the need for combustion engines.

The potential applications of this technology are broad, ranging from transporting materials from the Moon to launching satellites into low Earth orbit and even interstellar missions.

It could also facilitate the construction of lunar bases and the extraction of helium-3, which is abundant in lunar soil, where it is estimated that there are around one million tons, enough to meet the world’s energy needs for more than a thousand years, according to several scientific studies.

This isotope could revolutionize energy production through controlled nuclear fusion, enough to cover China’s energy needs with just 20 tons per year.

Despite its potential, the development of this technology faces technical challenges, such as generating sufficiently powerful magnetic fields and optimizing flight trajectories.

However, Chinese scientists are confident that this system represents the future of space exploration.

The importance of this type of technology for the Asian giant is demonstrated by a series of projects focused on developing it.

Another group of Chinese scientists is advancing in the construction of a giant railgun to launch hypersonic aircraft into space, as part of the ‘Tengyun Project’, with the aim of reducing launch costs by combining electromagnetic acceleration and high-speed flight.

Meanwhile, at some unspecified time in 2023, a Chinese electromagnetic cannon launched a smart bomb into the stratosphere at Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound, or about 6,175 kilometers per hour at sea level), but it failed on its trajectory after reaching 15 kilometers.

China has invested heavily in its space programme and has achieved successes such as landing the Chang’e 4 probe on the far side of the Moon – the first time this has been achieved – and reaching Mars for the first time, becoming the third country, after the United States and the former Soviet Union, to ‘land’ on Mars.