FUTURE GOALS

Professor Liu said the BLSS system had proven to function well over a long period of time. Researchers have also explored the mechanism in which light affects human's biological rhythms and emotions. They also improved technology for vertical planting.

"This is not the end, but a new starting point to continue to explore space," Liu said.

China has made great progress in space exploration in recent years. A manned docking in space was carried out in 2012, followed by a rover landing on the moon a year later.

China plans to launch the Chang'e-5 lunar probe in 2019, which is expected to bring lunar samples back to the Earth, according to Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.