Science experiment samples retrieved from China Space Station are packed for delivery, June 4, 2023. /CMG
Over 20 kilograms of science experiment samples were retrieved from the China Space Station on Sunday.
The samples, collected from 15 experiments in the space station, will be studied by researchers to improve China's sci-tech capabilities.
They were brought back to Earth by the Shenzhou-15 manned spacecraft, which also carried three taikonauts, or Chinese astronauts.
Some of the samples have been transported to Beijing and delivered to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) for further studies.
The CSU, previously known as the General Establishment of Space Science and Application (GESSA), is responsible for the application of space tech in China's manned space program.
Science experiment samples retrieved from China Space Station are packed for delivery, June 4, 2023. /CMG
The samples include not only life forms like cells, roundworms, thale cress and ratoon rice, but also materials like alloy and amorphous film.
The life forms will be used to study how micro-gravity and radiation affect life on Earth, providing a basis for the development of plants that can grow in space.
The materials, at the same time, will be tested and analyzed to reveal properties that are hard to observe on Earth, which might be used to make advanced equipment and new materials.