China has revealed the design of the country’s first lunar spacesuit, marking another step towards its planned crewed moon landing by 2030.
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The lightweight suit, unveiled by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Saturday, is the result of four years of research and development.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, the spacesuit will help astronauts to carry out extravehicular tasks by protecting against the harsh lunar environment.
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Unlike the Earth, there is no atmosphere on the moon, and temperature changes are rapid and extreme – from around 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit) to minus 130 degrees near the lunar equator.
Astronauts would also be exposed to almost vacuum-level atmospheric pressure and solar radiation levels much higher than that on Earth.