China Plans A Manned Moon Station

China Wants to Build a Manned Radar Station on the MOON: 'Lunatic' Idea Could Improve Our Images of Earth

Facility could include living quarters for astronauts and a powerful radar. Would have to be powerful, stretching at least 164 feet (50 metres) high. The deadline for the team to submit its final report on the project is 2020 

Abigail Beall | August 22, 2016

Over the past few years China has shown increased interest in exploring the moon and space, with its Jade Rabbit lunar rover and the world's biggest radio telescope.
Now the country is looking into building a manned radar station on our natural satellite, in order to monitor our planet in more detail than current satellites allow.
But experts have said the potentially massive cost of the project could outweigh the benefits. 

Artist's sketch showing moon-based readar station scanning a much larger area of Earth than is possible by satellite (shown on right). Source: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2006611/chinese-scientists-study-viability-manned-radar-station

"China's Jade Rabbit lunar rover spent 31 months surveying the moon's surface. The device, designed for a lifespan of a mere three months, surveyed the moon's surface for 31 months, overcoming numerous technical problems and design flaws to become a national icon. Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3752944/China-wants-build-manned-radar-station-moon-Lunatic-idea-improve-monitoring-Earth-need-power-station.html

<more at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3752944/China-wants-build-manned-radar-station-moon-Lunatic-idea-improve-monitoring-Earth-need-power-station.html; related articles and links: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2006611/chinese-scientists-study-viability-manned-radar-station (Chinese scientists study viability of manned radar station on the moon. August 21, 2016) and http://www.techinsider.io/china-plans-mars-moon-landings-2016-4 (China plans to reach Mars by 2020 and eventually build a moon base. April 21. 2016)>