Chinese scientists are endeavoring to develop a regenerative environment-control and life-support system for manned space flight, so as to create a "space ecological chain" for long-time human survival in space.

According to Chen Shanguang, chief designer of the taikonaut (Chinese term for astronaut) system under China's manned space program, Chinese scientists have made breakthrough in such key technologies as water and oxygen regeneration and the absorption of carbon dioxide.

Chen said the task of space environment-control and life-support system is to create, in an enclosed environment in a spacecraft or on a planet base, an atmospheric environment similar to that on the Earth, so as to ensure that men can live healthily and work efficiently in space or on a planet base.

The system is classified into three categories, namely non-regenerative, physical-chemical regenerative and biological regenerative ones.

Under the third category, photosynthesis of green plants are used to create an "ecological chain" to ensure the regeneration of oxygen, water and food for a human to live in space.

To eventually realize long-term manned space flight, particularly to build lunar and Mars bases, man should only hinge upon a biological regenerative system of environment control and life support, Chen said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2005)