Seeds taken to the far side of the moon as part of China's lunar exploration mission have sprouted in a first for growing biological matter on the satellite.

The lunar atmosphere is too thin to sustain life itself, but it had not previously been known whether it was possible for plants to grow within controlled conditions on the moon - although they had been grown on the International Space Station.

Now, in the first ever biological experiment to take place on the moon, cotton seeds housed in a sealed container on board the Chang'e 4 lander have begun to sprout.

If the sprouts thrive they would form the first ever green leaves on the moon - however it is not clear whether they would develop beyond germination.

Image: The sprouting began last week. Pic: CLEP

Alongside them in a seven-inch bucket in the lander's cargo are rapeseed, potato and arabidopsis seeds, as well as yeast, fruit fly eggs, air and water.


The Chinese National Space Administration said that it hopes the crops will form a miniature biosphere, essentially a ecosystem which is capable of sustaining itself.

According to CNSA, the biological species screened to be sent on the moon mission had to pass strict requirements due to the extremely limited size allowed in the cargo.

Image: The moon lander Chang'e 4. Pic: CLEP

They were also selected to be able to adapt to the harsh conditions of the moon, where they will have to withstand powerful temperatures - both high and low - as well as radiation.

There is still a long way to go before a sustainable habitat could be developed on the lunar surface, but the experiments could be fairly considered to have started that project.

"We have given consideration to future survival in space. Learning about these plants' growth in a low-gravity environment would allow us to lay the foundation for our future establishment of space base," said Professor Liu Hanlong, who is heading the experiment.

Image: China's lunar rover Jade Rabbit 2. Pic: CLEP

Although only the picture of the cotton sprouts was released by the space agency, Professor Hanlong said that rapeseed and potato seeds were sprouting.

China is also aiming to send a spacecraft to Mars next year, following its successful mission to the far side of the moon.

Lunar rover Jade Rabbit 2 and explorer Chang'e 4 landed on the moon in recent days and have now taken pictures of each other for scientists to study.

Officials at the Chinese space agency say they now plan to send a probe to Mars in 2020 and aim to follow that up with manned missions to the planet.