China's 'Dream' Ship Aims to Drill to the Moho
China's newly commissioned Meng Xiang ('Dream') research vessel, equipped with a dynamic stabilization system, can operate in rough seas and drill up to 11 kilometers deep. Using titanium alloy drill rods and diamond bits, it will reliably drill in high-temperature, high-pressure environments, with a floating lab for rapid sample processing and analysis. The ship's first scientific drilling expeditions are expected to begin next year, aiming for full-scale drilling to the Moho beneath the Pacific or Indian Ocean before 2030. This will provide unprecedented data on oceanic crust architecture, the petrological nature of the oceanic Moho, and the lower limits of life on Earth. International collaboration is encouraged to share research findings.