Chinese scientists are exploring the feasibility of a proposed idea from elementary school students: creating a flag that can wave on the Moon without air.
At the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), researchers from Beijing and Anhui province are collaborating to develop a payload for the Chang'e-7 mission, inspired by the creativity of students from Changsha, Hunan province. This payload, a science outreach project, will accompany the Chang'e-7 probe to the lunar south pole, aiming to use electromagnetic field interactions to make the flag appear to wave, according to Zhang Tianzhu, deputy director of future technologies at the DSEL.
“We know that the absence of an atmosphere on the Moon creates a vacuum, making it difficult for a flag to wave like it does on Earth,” Zhang explained. “Students proposed designing a closed-circuit wire on the flag's surface, allowing for bidirectional currents. The interaction of electromagnetic fields would enable the flag to wave.”
If successful, this would mark the first flag to wave on the lunar surface, Zhang noted, adding that the science outreach payload is expected to be completed by February.
This initiative could enhance young people's understanding of China's space efforts and inspire their interest in future careers in the aerospace sector.
In 2024, China's Chang'e-6 mission successfully completed the first sample return mission from the far side of the Moon. The Chang'e-7 mission, scheduled for launch around 2026, aims to search for evidence of water or ice at the lunar south pole.
Additionally, researchers are advancing validation processes for the subsequent Chang'e-8 mission and projects related to the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The Chang'e-8 probe is set to launch around 2028 to conduct experiments on lunar resource utilization.
By 2035, Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 are expected to form the basic model for the ILRS: a hub for engineers, a laboratory for scientists, and a cradle for international talent in deep space exploration, according to Zhang.