‘Artificial moon’ coming
CHINA IS ONCE again channeling science fiction in one of its most ambitious projects to date: an “artificial moon” to light up the streets of Chengdu city.
Wu Chunfeng, chairman of Chengdu Aerospace Science and Technology Microelectronics System Research Institute Co Ltd, announced that the city will launch an illumination satellite or “artificial moon” in 2020, as reported by People’s Daily on Tuesday, October 16. Wu revealed Chengdu’s plan during the national mass innovation and entrepreneurship activity held in the city on October 10.
Apparently, the project was started “years ago.” Wu stated the announcement came after they had assessed that the illumination satellite has reached maturity.
The “artificial moon” will be made to accompany the real moon. Wu said the illumination satellite’s brightness is eight times that of the real moon.
The sci-fi like technology has the ability to lit up an area with a diameter of 10 to 80 kilometers as per the report.