The China National Space Administration (CNSA) outlined plans for the Chang’e-8 lunar mission, set for 2028, with a bold objective: to demonstrate a self sustaining ecosystem on the Moon. The official briefing positions this mission as a critical step toward sustained human presence on the Moon by testing how plants and microbes can live and grow in the lunar environment. This is framed not only as a scientific experiment but as a practical investigation into life support systems for future expeditions. [Source: CNSA]
Chang’e-8 will carry a facility that uses solar heat to melt lunar soil and transform it into building blocks through automated robotics. The concept targets in situ resource utilization, showing how local regolith could be converted into usable construction material for habitat modules, shielding, and infrastructure. This approach aims to reduce the need for Earth supplied materials and enhance mission resilience on the lunar surface. [Source: CNSA]
At the core of the mission is an ecosystem experiment designed to create a sealed, controlled environment where plants and microbes interact. The goal is to assess whether lunar soil can support food production and oxygen generation in a sustained closed loop, laying the groundwork for a future lunar base where life support hinges on local resources. This experiment will inform life support architectures, energy balance, waste processing, and crop selection under reduced gravity and radiation conditions. [Source: CNSA]
Additional payloads include a radiometer for observing Earth from the Moon and a multispectral camera to monitor planetary and climate signals. These instruments will collect data on Earth’s climate dynamics and the planet’s magnetosphere, contributing to long term climate science and space weather research. The lunar vantage point offers unique opportunities to calibrate remote sensing instruments and understand how radiation interacts with planetary atmospheres. [Source: CNSA]
Chang’e-8 is framed as a bridge to a more ambitious milestone: a crewed lunar landing anticipated before 2030. By validating habitat materials, life support loops, and remote sensing capabilities, the mission seeks to reduce risk for subsequent manned missions and accelerate the timeline toward a sustainable lunar presence. [Source: CNSA]
In a broader context, this mission follows earlier demonstrations of lunar agriculture, including experiments where scientists germinated chickpeas in moon dust. Those initial results provided a proof of concept that seeds can begin to sprout in lunar regolith analogs, reinforcing confidence in the feasibility of food production on the Moon with controlled agricultural systems. [Source: CNSA]