Chinese scientists are planning to launch an artificial moon by 2020, according to Time Magazine.
Why? To illuminate city streets after dark.
According to Chinese state media, the country is hoping to position the fake moon above the city of Chengdu. They estimate that the new moon could save the city about $173 million dollars in electricity costs and could assist first responders during natural disasters.
According to reports, the artificial moon could be eight times more luminous than the real moon and will orbit 320 miles away from the earth.
The actual moon orbits 236,000 miles away from the earth.
Time Magazine said that if the first moon is successful, they could add three more moons by 2022.
“We will only conduct our tests in an uninhabited desert, so our light beams will not interfere with any people or Earth-based space observation equipment,” Wu Chunfeng, chief of the Tian Fu New Area Science Society, told the China Daily.
Chinese scientists said more testing needs to be done to ensure the plan is viable.
Copyright 2018 KXXV. All rights reserved.
