The success of China’s Chang’e-4 mission has inaugurated a new phase of its lunar exploration program. At a recent press conference, Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration, announced that a future mission will lay the groundwork for the construction of a research base on the moon.

China, the United States, Russia and some European countries all want to try out technologies needed for such a scientific lunar base. “For example, can we build houses on the moon with lunar soil using 3D printing technology?” Wu said.

“We hope that Chang’e-8 will help test some technologies, and do some exploring for the building of a joint lunar base shared by multiple countries,” he said.

He also revealed that China will send a probe to Mars around 2020.

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