Planet

Is China mulling a military base on the moon?

It might sound like a nightmare scenario from a science fiction film.The article’s description of a Chinese military base on the moon sounds remarkably like an American plan hatched in the 1950s called “Project Horizon.” The plan was abandoned because of the great expense and the fact that missiles launched from the moon would take days to reach targets on Earth.

Even if the idea of bombarding the Earth with moon based missiles, the moon does contain a great deal of resources, such as water ice, that could be useful for China to seize and control. Water can be used to make rocket fuel, making the moon an idea refueling stop for space craft headed deeper into the solar system. China would have to weigh this advantage to the probable reaction of the United States and other countries.