After China’s recent success in landing a spacecraft on the far side of the moon, the country is planning three additional lunar missions that could lay the groundwork for China’s long term goal of establishing a lunar base. While this goal may strike some as a naive dream inspired by science-fiction movies rather than reality, a lot of the necessary technology needed to pull off this feat already exists, or is at least being developed.

When it comes to construction, 3D printing is a realistic option. 3D printing could also be essential in providing the future inhabitants of a lunar base with new organs and tissue, if needed. This is not mere science fiction either, since the first 3D bioprinter to work under microgravity has already been developed in Russia. However, while the construction of the lunar base certainly seems possible, it is far from clear whether people will actually be able to live on the moon for long periods of time.

Read more: How realistic are China’s plans to colonize the moon?