The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced plans to solicit proposals for a human research program at the national space station starting April 1.The initiative aims to study major strategic and scientific issues concerning the long-term healthy survival of humans during space station missions and future lunar landings.
The program will create a space human atlas, establish a research database, and produce innovative findings benefiting both taikonauts on long-duration missions and the public on Earth.Research will focus on human samples, organoids, and cells to investigate the effects of microgravity on bones, muscles, cardiovascular health, metabolism, cognition, and aging.
Since June 2023, CMSA has received 387 project submissions, with 53 already conducted aboard the Tiangong space station. China plans to send two crews this year, including one on a mission exceeding one year.These experiments also contribute to public health advancements on Earth, with achievements including the first space organ chip research in China and the world’s first artificial blood vessel tissue chip study.
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