Experiments at the Tianhe Space Station revealed by China’s state television CCTV in a brief news report.
According to a report from China’s state television CCTV, Chinese astronauts aboard the Tianhe Space Station are focusing on studying ancient anaerobic Archaea bacteria.
This group of single-celled organisms is one of the oldest forms of life on Earth.
The astronauts of the Shenzhou 18 mission are conducting research aboard the Tianhe Space Station (Photo: CCTV).
Previously, the bacteria were sent to the space station by the Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft earlier this year and were “cultivated” in a small centrifuge module.
Here, Archaea were initially used in experiments consuming hydrogen and carbon dioxide, thereby producing methane as a waste product.
This experiment aims to determine whether some primitive life forms on Earth can adapt to a simulated space environment. Additionally, the experiment contributes to the search for extraterrestrial life.
This is because methane has long been recognized as a potential biomarker, previously detected on Mars, and is of great interest to scientists.
Simulation of China’s Tianhe Space Station (Photo: Getty).
According to CCTV, the astronauts from China are also studying pharmacokinetics to assess the impact of long-duration spaceflight on the human body and provide reference information for medication use in orbit.
Additionally, they are conducting a series of experiments related to microgravity fluid physics, combustion science, and space material science.
It is known that China completed the construction of the Tianhe Space Station by the end of 2022, aiming to maintain this “orbital outpost” for at least a decade.
The Shenzhou 18 crew members, including commander Ye Guangfu and crew members Li Cong and Li Guangsu, have been aboard the Tianhe Space Station since late April.
In November, astronauts from the Shenzhou 19 mission are expected to arrive at Tianhe and replace the current crew.
