The first report on the progress of the scientific research and application in China Space Station was recently released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), summarizing the achievements over the past two years since the full establishment of the space station.

　　From the scientific and application projects that have had returned samples, obtained research data, completed in-orbit experiments, and made outstanding progress, 34 representative scientific research and application achievements and science popularization activities were selected. These were in response to the expectations of the society for the construction and development of China's space station.

　　At present, China has planned 32 research topics in four research fields: space life and human research, microgravity physical science, space astronomy and earth science, as well as new space technology and application, according to CMSA.

　　The report shows that over the past two years, China has launched four manned flights, three cargo resupply missions and four spacecraft return missions. Five astronaut crews, made up of 15 astronauts, have undertaken lengthy stays in orbit, conducting 10 extravehicular tasks and multiple payload operations outside the capsule. A new world record for the duration of a single extravehicular task was also set.

　　China has completed the selection of the fourth batch of astronaut candidates, including one Hong Kong payload expert and one Macao payload expert. The selection of low-cost cargo transport systems has also been done, while research and development work has begun.

　　The first batch of space science, application experiments and technology test projects, carried out in China's space station, has progressed smoothly with impressive achievements.

　　As of December 1, 2024, 181 scientific and application projects had been carried out in orbit in the space station, which included nearly two tonnes of scientific materials delivered, about 100 types of experimental samples brought back, and more than 300TB of scientific data acquired.

　　Many pioneering achievements have also been made, including the world's first rice and ratoon rice germplasm resources developed in space, the first human embryonic stem cells differentiating into hematopoietic stem/precursor cells in space, and the world's first cold atom interference gyroscope in space microgravity.

　　Research teams have worked together to publish more than 500 high-level SCI papers and obtain over 150 patents, some of which have been commercialized and applied.

　　The space station, as a national space laboratory, will carry out more than 1,000 research projects over the next 10 to 15 years. It will also promote science popularization and international cooperation, and boost collaboration among high-level scientific teams, both domestically and globally, to drive the comprehensive development of China's space science, space technology and space applications.