Butterflies in Space: Testing Limits on the Tiangong Station

The crew of China’s Tiangong space station conducted an unusual biological experiment: a butterfly successfully emerged from its chrysalis in the weightless environment of space. The insect hatched in orbit and lived for several days in a special capsule, adapting to microgravity. The chrysalis was delivered to the station in December aboard the Kuaizhou 11Y8 cargo ship. It was housed in an autonomous capsule with a volume of 14.2 liters, maintaining a temperature of around 30 °C. Inside were plants and microorganisms, creating a stable environment for development. After emerging from the cocoon, the butterfly was able to exist in the chamber for several days. Scientists were initially uncertain if the insect would adapt to weightlessness, but the experiment showed their concerns were unfounded. The butterfly flew freely within the capsule, flapping its wings and landing on leaves, just as it would on Earth. “Many thought that a butterfly wouldn’t be able to fly in microgravity, but we saw that it quickly adapted to a new environment,” said Xie Gengxin, director of the Institute of Space Science and Technology at Chongqing University and the chief developer of the experiment.

Notably, the experiment was conducted under intentionally harsh conditions. Unlike similar experiments on the ISS, the capsule lacked radiation protection, active temperature control systems, and full lighting. The metamorphosis process occurred entirely automatically, without crew intervention. “The entire transformation took place without human involvement, unlike previous experiments by other countries on the ISS,” Xie Gengxin emphasized. Although this isn’t the first case of a butterfly appearing in space-in 2009, a similar experiment was conducted on the ISS with a monarch butterfly-the Chinese experience is considered one of the harshest in terms of conditions. According to the developers, it allowed them to test how resilient living organisms are to stress in the real space environment. Xie Gengxin previously led another famous experiment-growing the first plants on the Moon during the “Chang’e-4” mission. The scientist believes such studies are vital for the future of space agriculture. In the future, the results could be used in creating autonomous farms on the Moon and Mars, where insects will act as pollinators. “True space farming involves using space resources to produce food,” Xie noted. According to him, lunar and Martian farms could become a reality in the future.

Recent developments indicate that China’s Tiangong space station is progressing swiftly, with plans for expanded experiments in the coming years, potentially involving more complex life forms and human interaction studies. These activities are expected to enhance our understanding of extraterrestrial agriculture’s feasibility greatly. Researchers continue to explore how such space-based cultivation may meet human needs in long-term missions, emphasizing the importance of biological experiments in testing and improving sustainability of life in colonies on other planets.