China's Taikonauts Train in Caves for Moon Mission: Simulating Lunar Life Underground

• China launched a unique training program sending 28 Taikonauts to a karst cave system in Chongqing to simulate harsh lunar conditions.
• The week-long mission in Wulong National Park involved 6 days/5 nights in near-darkness, preparing for future crewed lunar landings.
• Led by astronaut Ye Guangfu, the training mimicked lunar challenges like limited light, fluctuating temperatures, and resource scarcity.
• Key tasks included rappelling for crater navigation, cave mapping for habitat selection, and solitary survival practice for psychological resilience.
• This analog training supports China's goal to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 and build underground lunar habitats, leveraging growing space capabilities.

Why It Matters: China's cave training prepares Taikonauts for harsh lunar conditions, advancing its 2030 moon landing goal.