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Episode 120: Prof. Gengxin Xie. A Greenhouse on the Moon

By Gurbir Dated: April 8, 2025 Leave a Comment

Chang’e 4. Credit Prof. Xei Gengxin

On Thursday, 3rd January 2019, some water was added to some seeds in a tiny greenhouse. The seeds, cotton, potato, Rape and Arabidopsis sprouted. 

Experiments like this have been conducted many times before. What was special about this one was that it was done on the surface of the Moon.

The guest on this episode is Professor Xie Gengxin from Chongqing University in central China. He was the  Chief Designer of this Bio experiment carried to the Moon on Chang’e 4 in January 2019. The interview was recorded in Milan during the International Astronautical Congress 2024.

In summary

  • The Chang’e 4 lunar mission by China landed on the far side of the moon and conducted a unique biological experiment involving cotton, potato, rape, and Arabidopsis seeds, along with fruit fly eggs and yeast, within a small, sealed greenhouse.
  • The primary goal of the experiment was to determine if plants could germinate and grow on the moon despite the lower gravity, lack of atmosphere, intense sunlight and radiation, and extreme temperature variations.
  • Cotton seeds successfully germinated 22 hours after water was added, marking the first instance of plant growth on the moon. These lunar seedlings grew faster than their counterparts in a control experiment on Earth and showed surprising resilience to the cold lunar night.
  • The experiment’s design included features like passive insulation, active temperature control, a small window for natural sunlight, and anti-fogging technology for the cameras monitoring the growth.
  • The findings suggest that lower gravity and higher radiation might have aided plant growth, and the experiment provided valuable insights and led to the development of technologies relevant to future space-based agriculture and the establishment of lunar habitats.
  • This biological experiment is considered a significant step in China’s lunar exploration program, which includes plans for a future lunar base (the International Lunar Research Station) and further research into creating sustainable ecosystems in space, potentially within lunar lava tubes.
Episode 120. A Greenhouse on the Moon.

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New Book – Atlas of Space Rocket Launch Sites

By Gurbir Dated: September 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

ISBN 978-3-86922-758-0
Size 240 x 300 mm
272 pages
500 images
Index
Glossary
Hardcover

** Description and look-inside below **

Available from: dom-publishers.com, www.amazon.com, www.freytagberndt.com, www.mondadoristore.it, www.lehmanns.de and www.abebooks.co.uk – a variety of suppliers at many lower prices.

Learn more from podcasts: New Space India, The Spaceshow and Aviation-Xtended

Book Reviews: www.wallpaper.com, www.raumfahrer.net, flugundzeit.blog, www.ivorypress.com and collectspace.com

To purchase signed copies directly from the authors contact Brian Harvey or Gurbir Singh


The book describes primary launch sites around the world including some that are historically significant but no longer operating (e.g Peenamunde) as well as the new kids on the block (e.g Kodiak).

The book is edited by Paul Meuser who has written the foreword and sourced most of the 500 or so majestic photos of launch sites and their environments. The majority of the text is authored by Dublin-based author Brian Harvey. A prodigious writer who has been writing on space programs of numerous countries since the 1970s. Katrin Soschinski designed stunning maps, the foundation of any atlas.

Copy of the back text page and a few sample pages from the book in the slide show below. These sample pages can be downloaded here albeit the quality is way inferior to the original.


Back page text

The machines that orbit our planet live in a void environment–
however, space travel itself does not exist in a vacuum. Traveling
to space is an immense effort of humans and machines, taking
not just ‘a small step for a man’ but leaving a huge carbon
footprint in the process. We are in the midst of a paradigm shift
in which private companies and leadership figures in the form of
Billionaires are re-popularizing space travel to an extent not seen
since the space race of the USSR and USA. Space exists isolated
from the place that births its mechanical and a few select human
inhabitants. Thus we tend to forget that every single thing that
exits our atmosphere takes with it more than just its own weight
of materials when it departs our fragile blue marble.

This book offers a unique look at the physical footprints of earth’s
launch sites. With most places hidden away in jungles, deserts, or
amidst the Central Asian steppes, these places exist for the most
part out of the eye of the general public. With satellites facilitating
our modern society and a modern space age ever-present in today’s
news cycle, it is now more important than ever to think about the
imprint these undertakings leave on earth. To begin to answer
the new socio-economic questions raised by our rapid expansion
into the void, we need to look no further than follow the cracks in
the concrete of our planetary launch sites. The rusty train tracks
leading to the pad break the pristine and sterile looks of space, and
reopen our eyes to the realities of space exploration.

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Heads of National Space Agencies plenary session – IAC2018. Bremen, Germany.

By Gurbir Dated: January 6, 2019 Leave a Comment

Heads of Space Agencies: Plenary Session IAC2018

This is my recording of the Heads of Space Agency plenary session on 1st October – the first day of the IAC2018. It was not recorded with the intention to publish online. However, here it is unedited – for anyone who may benefit from it.

In Attendance:

  • Dmitry Loskutov in place of Dmitry Rogozin – (Roscosmos)
  • Hiroshi Yamakawa – (JAXA)
  • Johann-Dietrich Woerner – (ESA)
  • Maggie Aderin-Pocock (Moderator – BBC)
  • Jim Bridenstine – (NASA)
  • K. Sivan – (ISRO)
  • Sylvain Laporte – Canadian Space Agency
  • ZHANG Kejian China National Space Administration

Some of my notes below – Timeline (mins:Sec)


04:50    Jan Woerner – ESA  
10:28    K Sivan – ISRO
15:16    Zang Kejian – CNSA (speaking via translator)

26 Launches since Jan 2018
Chang-e-4 Lunar rover before end of year (Relay sat already
launched)
5 More GNSS satellites before the end of year
Willing to collaborate internationally
Social, economic, climate change – support Asian – Asia and African
nations
China joint projects – Brazil, France, ESA, (Chang-e4 Sweden,
Germany, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia)
An announcement of opportunity 10kg payload available for
international partners on the Chang’e6 Sample return mission
CSS will be completed by 2022. Also, welcome international
cooperation on the CSS
Welcome international partners in its growing commercial space
market.
Established “Space Day” in China to encourage the younger generation
25:40 Hiroshi Yamakawa (JAXA)
Hayabusa 2 – Rover Minerva landed on Ryugu.  Lander Mascot (built
by DLR/CNES)
MMX Mission to Mars
Asia Specific Forum – 25th anniversary in Singapore
JAXA welcomes international partners.
The combined budget of all space agencies around the world. 42.5
Billion (21.5=NASA).
30:18 Dmitry Loskutov (Roscosmos)
35:05 Sylvain Laporte Canadian Space Agency

44:10 Jim Bridenstine (NASA)
Hope to get 10k attendance in Washington IAC2019
Lunar gateway – Back to the Moon to stay. Sustainable open architecture open to commercial and international partners. It will also serve as a deep space transport to Mars.

53:10 Q&A

1:18:26 End

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Heads of National Space Agencies Press Conference: IAC2018 Bremen, Germany

By Gurbir Dated: January 2, 2019 Leave a Comment

Heads of Space Agency Press Conference IAC2018

This is my recording of the Heads of Space Agency press conference 1st October – the first day of IAC2018. This video was not initially intended to be published. But here it is unedit – some may find it of interest.

In Attendance:Left to right

  • Dmitry Loskutov in place of Dmitry Rogozin – (Roscosmos)
  • Hiroshi Yamakawa – (JAXA)
  • Johann-Dietrich Woerner – (ESA)
  • Maggie Aderin-Pocock (Moderator – BBC)
  • Jim Bridenstine – (NASA)
  • K. Sivan – (ISRO)
  • Sylvain Laporte – Canadian Space Agency (not present)
  • Zhang Kejian China National Space Administration (not present)

Some notes

Head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin – prevented by sanctions against Russia to travel to Germany. Replaced by Dmitry Loskutov.

Bridenstein:

  • Experiments on ISS from 103 countries
  • Gateway – Open architecture, a fraction of the size of the ISS. is not in LEO so has no radiation protection from the Van Allen Belts
  • Reduced electromagnetic radiation from Earth. May allow new experiments in astrophysics
  • Multiple trips to lunar surface from the Gateway and hence potential for new science experiments on the surface.
  • Question: Is NASA subsidising SpaceX?  Did not deny it outright at the outset.
  • Nasa’s goal is in establishing a capability, lower cost and enhanced innovation. Ultimately more customers for SpaceX not just Nasa and more service providers – not just SpaceX.
  • My question on when the US law that prohibits US/China collaboration in space will end? 
  • Answer: The law expires and is renewed every year. (Left it open ended really). 
  • Question: Is China space programme is too close to Chinese military? Answer: This is a concern for US government and Nasa will do what its government permits it to do 

Sivan

  • Indi ahs no plans for human missions to the Moon.
  • Regarding India cooperating with China on human spaceflight training, he left it open-ended. I think he was aware of the deal for Modi administration was making with Russia (announced a few days later) but could not say anything at this press conference.

Woerner:

  • ESA Astronauts are learning Chinese. Will fly with China in the future but no date yet.

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