China cultivates 14 plant species aboard space station

TIANJIN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has now cultivated more than 20 varieties spanning 14 plant species in orbit -- a milestone that lays the groundwork for large-scale crop production aboard the space station, according to the Astronaut Center of China.

The breakthrough was highlighted at an aerospace medical engineering conference in Tianjin Municipality in north China, where Zhang Hongzhang, an astronaut from the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission, shared photos and videos of a flourishing "space garden" aboard China's Tiangong space station, featuring crops such as lettuce, carrot, sunflower, potato and wheat.

China's era of long-term crewed spaceflight began in October 2021, when Shenzhou-13 crew members Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu moved into China's space station core module Tianhe.

"Long-term stays in space require us to reduce the reliance on Earth resupply. Our controlled ecological life support experiments aim to build an ecosystem in space that can regenerate water, air and food in situ -- cutting dependence on Earth and eventually achieving self-sufficiency," said Bian Qiang, an expert at the Astronaut Center of China.

Controlled ecological life support technology uses an artificially built, closed and controlled ecosystem to efficiently recycle and regenerate the air, water and food astronauts in orbit need to survive, establishing a life-and-health support system suited to long-term human habitation.

According to Bian, right now, two types of plant-growing units aboard the space station -- one using substrate culture and the other aeroponics -- are running continuously. Together, they are giving researchers valuable experience in building a basic life support system that leans mainly on physical and chemical recycling, with biological regeneration playing a supporting role.

"A more efficient aeroponics unit was sent up in 2025. Wheat has since completed a full growing cycle in orbit, and a second round cultivation using seeds from that harvest is growing well and close to reaping," Bian said.

Looking further ahead, Bian said China intends to establish a "lunar vegetable garden" as its lunar exploration program advances.

China's space station, Tiangong, which means Heavenly Palace, has now entered an era of long-term human habitation. One member of the Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct a one-year in-orbit stay, while the country's 2030 crewed moon landing mission is advancing steadily.