Chinas Space Station Conducts Full Seed-to-Seed Rice Cultivation Experiment
Summary: On June 18, 2026, CAS reported Shenzhou-23 astronauts are conducting a rice cultivation experiment on Chinas space station designed to complete two full seed-to-seed cycles, led by the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences.
According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Shenzhou-23 crew is conducting a full-lifecycle rice cultivation experiment aboard Chinas space station, orbiting approximately 400 kilometers above Earth. The experiment is designed to complete two full seed-to-seed cycles — encompassing germination, plant growth, flowering and pollination, all the way through to the harvest of new seeds.
Previous space plant experiments have largely focused on isolated growth stages. This experiment, by contrast, spans every developmental phase from sowing to seed production. It is led by the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences under CAS. As rice is one of the worlds most important staple crops, studying its full reproductive cycle under microgravity conditions carries significant implications for assessing the feasibility of space-based agriculture.
The Shenzhou-23 crew — mission commander Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan, and Lai Ka-ying — arrived at the space station in May 2026. The three astronauts have been conducting a range of biological science experiments since reaching orbit. Further details on the rice experiments progress and final results are expected in subsequent official reports.