We advocate a globally distributed, heterogeneous lunar seismometer array as the essential pathway to detect gravitational waves in the unexplored deci-Hertz band. Since no single nation can achieve the necessary geographic coverage alone, we argue that international collaboration, leveraging diverse instruments from missions like Artemis and Chang’e, is not just practical but scientifically optimal, turning geopolitical plurality into a unique asset for discovery.

The Moon exhibits extreme environmental characteristics such as prolonged day-night cycle, large temperature fluctuations, high vacuum, and intense radiation, significantly limiting the applicability of traditional building thermal engineering and energy design methods in this environment. These environmental characteristics pose severe challenges to the thermal performance of lunar base buildings and the stability and safety of their energy systems. Therefore, this paper explores the key technical challenges and primary solutions in the construction of energy systems for long-term lunar habitats. It proposes that by advancing research on precise prediction technologies for building and equipment loads in lunar bases, key technologies for efficient energy storage and photovoltaic power generation, as well as the construction and optimization of multi-energy synergistic energy systems for lunar bases, the autonomy and reliability of lunar energy systems can be enhanced, thereby ensuring the sustained operation of future lunar bases.

Space science, as a critical frontier field that integrates multidisciplinary development and collaborates with aerospace technology innovation, vividly reflects the defining characteristics of contemporary scientific fronts: expanding into the macroscopic extremes, delving into the microscopic depths, advancing toward extreme conditions, and driving highly integrated interdisciplinary efforts. It has become a key engine for pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and leading leaps in advanced technology.

The “QingHuan” drag augmentation device, developed by the Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing Institute of Space Mechanics & Electricity, employs a foldable inflatable sphere to increase aerodynamic drag and accelerate orbital decay of low Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft. Featuring compliant deployment, durable materials, and verified deorbit safety, the system requires no propellant and ensures reliable post-mission disposal. Ground and in-orbit tests confirm its effectiveness as a lightweight, low-cost solution for satellite end-of-life disposal and space debris mitigation.

We argue that the next leap in lunar exploration must focus beneath the surface, seeking natural cavities as potential shelters for human habitation. Lunar exploration is transitioning from brief visits to long-term presence, raising the urgent need for protection against harsh surface conditions. We propose that subsurface lava tubes and impact-formed cavities could serve as ready-made safe havens, providing radiation shielding and thermal stability. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology, deployed from rovers and orbiters, offers a means to detect and map these hidden structures on a global scale. We highlight recent research led by Chinese lunar missions from Chang’E-3’s first in-situ radar profiling to new data from Chang’E-4’s far-side rover, which revealed layered regolith and even a ~3 m void just beneath the Moon’s surface. We further discuss a novel “blind inversion” radar analysis method developed by Ding and colleagues to infer subsurface voids from limited data. In this perspective, we emphasize that a concerted effort to perform global radar sounding of the Moon’s subsurface is crucial for identifying stable underground habitats. Therefore, we advocate for a global-scale orbital penetrating radar mission to comprehensively map subsurface structures across the Moon. Such natural shelters could drastically lower the cost and risk of establishing a human base on the Moon, accelerating humanity’s march towards a permanent off-Earth presence.