An experiment carried out on board China’s SJ-10, has succeeded in its goal of reproduction in space. They are now the first group of scientist to successfully develop two-cell mouse embryo’s, in space. Just 80 hours after launch, the recoverable satellite, SJ-10 managed to overcome a major biological hurdle in reproduction in space.
The SJ-10 was China’s first micro-gravity satellite. The satellite, launched on April 6th, will be spending a few more days in orbit before returning to Earth. The institute of zoology in China acknowledges that the human race may one day colonise space and with the work that’s been done, we’re just one step closer to being able to reproduce in space.
We still have a long way to go, but the goal is for humans to be able to reproduce in space as they do on Earth. China has managed to prove that the early development of embryo’s in outer space is possible. An embryo begins to develop when the fertilized cell begins to divide.
It will first divide into two cells and then four cells, etc. The fertilized egg forms a blastocyst. The blastocyst will then be implanted into a womb in order to form and develop. SJ-10 carried over 6,000 embryos into space inside of a chamber about the size of a microwave oven. NASA attempted to develop embryo’s in space in the 1990’s but none of the embryo’s developed. This marks an important milestone in space exploration and colonization for humanity’s exploration of the heavens.
With this research, we will eventually be able to bear children while traveling among the stars…
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