According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, at 2023:10 Beijing time on October 26, 11, the Long March-14F Yao-10 carrier rocket carrying the Shenzhou-<> manned spacecraft was ignited and launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

After the spacecraft is put into orbit, it will carry out autonomous and rapid rendezvous and docking with the space station assembly in accordance with the predetermined procedure, and the Shenzhou-17 astronaut crew will rotate in orbit with the Shenzhou-16 astronaut crew.

During the period of working and living on the space station, the Shenzhou-17 astronaut crew will carry out many out-of-cabin activities, carry out a large number of space science experiments involving microgravity basic physics, space materials science, space life science, aerospace medicine, aerospace technology and other fields, and complete various tasks such as installation, commissioning, maintenance and repair of equipment inside and outside the cabin.

Cang Huaixing, a researcher at the Space Application Engineering and Technology Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a consultant for space science experiments, revealed that the experimental samples of the Shenzhou-8 mission were prepared and loaded on site at the launch site, and about <> hours before the launch, they were placed in the biological sample cargo package and sent to the launch tower, and placed in the Shenzhou spacecraft, where they were launched with the spacecraft.

It is reported that the spacecraft is mainly used for the experimental unit of the "Space Protein Molecular Assembly and Application Research" project. For human life and health, 5 experimental samples in 29 categories, including proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, biological materials, and pharmaceutical materials, were arranged to further study the effects of space microgravity environment and radiation on molecular structure and crystal structure, biological function, pharmacodynamics and pharmacology, etc., and to guide the design and development of safe drug use in space and on the ground.

Flight animation of the space station assembly (from China Manned Space Engineering Office)

One of the research projects carried out this time is to study the molecular mechanism of the self-assembly process of biomimetic bone composites, and to develop degradable bionic bones with histocompatibility and biological activity closer to natural bone.

Cang Huaixing proudly said that this research may play an important role in guiding the design and development of safe drugs in space and on the ground.

"The new generation of degradable artificial bones, just like the bricks and cement we use to build houses, can promote the growth of our own bones. After the growth is done, the original implanted artificial bone disappears, and our own bone grows, so there is no such repeated and painful process as surgical implantation and removal. ”

A little more information:

China's space station was fully completed at the end of 2022 and has now entered the application and development stage.

As of August this year, China's space station has arranged for the implementation of 8 space science research and application projects in orbit, involving space life science and human body research, microgravity physics and new space technology.

It is reported that some projects have achieved phased application results.

For example, in the field of space life sciences, the spatial cultivation of rice "from seed to seed" has been realized, and the discovery of functional gene regulation is expected to promote the cultivation of new rice varieties on the ground and increase their yield and income.

Vegetables grown by Chinese astronauts in the space station (Photo from China Manned Space Engineering Office)

Reporter丨Wei Yuchen

(Global Information Broadcasting)