Chinese experiment sees butterfly emerge in space

Chinese scientists have announced the success of a space experiment in which a chrysalis metamorphosed into a butterfly, yielding valuable data on biological survival in the harsh microgravity environment beyond Earth.

The chrysalis, which is the pupal stage of a butterfly, was sealed inside a small experimental space ecosystem payload — developed by a Chongqing University research team and named ShennongKaiwu 2 — and transferred into orbit by a Kuaizhou 11 Y8 carrier rocket that lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China on Dec 13.

Following a successful launch, the payload entered a low-Earth orbit, marking the start of its biotest mission.

Recent images and data transmitted from space revealed that the microgravity environment provided an ideal temperature of around 30 C inside the sealed capsule, helping the pupa transform into an adult.

The capsule mimicked the ecological cycles of Earth, creating a functional miniature ecosystem prototype. This self-sustaining, unmanned system included plants to generate oxygen and potential food for the butterfly as well as microorganisms to process waste and maintain a stable air composition.

The butterfly lived for several days inside the 14.2-liter chamber, which weighs 8.3 kilograms; it moved around freely, fluttered its wings and occasionally rested on leaves, said Professor Xie Gengxin, director of Chongqing University's Space Science and Technology Research Institute and chief designer of the ShennongKaiwu 2 experimental payload.

"Many people thought the butterfly wouldn't be able to fly in microgravity, but what we observed was that it quickly adapted to the new environment," Xie said.

The experiment overcame a series of challenges, including altered behavior of the butterfly's body fluid tension, hindrances in material transportation due to microgravity, and issues related to radiation.

To maximize the simulation of real space conditions and test biological survival and material circulation capabilities in an extremely harsh environment, the researchers conducted the experiment without additional radiation shielding, active temperature control or utilizing full-spectrum lighting.

"The transformation process was entirely unmanned, unlike previous experiments (of other countries) aboard the International Space Station," said Qiu Dan, deputy chief designer of the experimental payload and head of its biological system.

Xie, the chief designer, said the achievement marks a solid step forward in verifying the feasibility of long-term operation of complex life-support systems in orbit for advancing deep-space exploration.

"True 'space farming' aims to utilize space resources for agricultural production," he said, envisioning a future in which butterflies could pollinate plants in "space farms", potentially integrating more animals to form a complete ecosystem. "Lunar and Martian farms will become a reality in the future," he added.

The payload was carried by AZSPACE's Dier-5 Space Experimenter vessel. Established in 2019, AZSPACE is China's first private spaceflight company specializing in the design, manufacture and operation of spacecraft.

The payload was developed under a commercial low-cost model, with over 90 percent of its components being industrial-grade products. The lighting- and thermal-control design, as well as functional modules, adhered to a minimalist principle of "saving wherever possible", ensuring the stable operation of the ecosystem. An environmental monitoring system tracked parameters such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, pressure, light and humidity.

"This approach guaranteed experimental reliability while significantly reducing costs, offering a feasible path for the commercial proliferation of space science experiments," Xie said.

The professor and his team have made multiple groundbreaking achievements over the years. In 2019, they succeeded in growing the first green leaf in a sealed container on the moon's surface as part of the Chang'e 4 robotic mission.

Chen Meiling contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at dengrui@chinadaily.com.cn