China's Space Farming Success: From Orbital Gardens to Lunar Exploration
Chinese astronauts aboard the Shenzhou 16 mission have successfully harvested fresh vegetables, including lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and green onions, in the Tiangong space station as part of China's ambitious space program. The cultivation apparatus used in space is a key component of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) and has implications for future deep space exploration, including crewed lunar and Mars missions. China aims to put astronauts on the moon before 2030 and plans to build a moon base, while a crewed Mars landing is also on the horizon.