China has begun the world's first space experiment with human artificial embryos. Samples are now aboard its space station, and the study is progressing smoothly, scientists said on Wednesday.

Delivered by the Tianzhou-10 cargo craft launched earlier this week, the human artificial embryo samples have been installed in the space station's experimental module by the orbiting taikonauts, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is in charge of the experiment.

"The experiment is going very well," said Yu Leqian, the project leader for the artificial embryo space science experiment. "A preset automated system changes the culture medium for the samples every day." According to Yu, the aim of this study is to conduct preliminary research on issues related to long-term human habitation, survival and reproduction in space.

Artificial embryos are structures derived from stem cells that closely resemble real embryos. "The human artificial embryo is made of human stem cells as raw materials," Yu explained. "This is not a real human embryo and does not have the ability to develop into an individual. However, it can serve as a model for studying early human development."

The artificial embryo samples include two types of models: one cultured on uterine cells and the other placed inside a microfluidic chip. The goal is to understand how the microgravity environment in space affects early human embryonic development. According to scientists, identical samples are also being studied simultaneously in laboratories on Earth.

The human artificial embryo experiment is scheduled to last five days in space. After that, the samples will be frozen in orbit and later returned to Earth at an appropriate time for comparative analysis with the ground-based samples.

"We hope that by comparing the development of space and ground samples, we can identify the factors affecting early human embryonic growth in the space environment, and address the risks and challenges humans may face during long-term space habitation," Yu said.

China launched the Tianzhou-10 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Monday morning to deliver supplies for its orbiting space station. Apart from the artificial human embryos, the cargo carried 41 space science experiment projects, including zebrafish embryos and mouse embryos.