However, cultivating the crop won’t be easy as temperatures on the lunar surface can go over 100 degrees Celsius (202 degrees Fahrenheit) in the day and drop to minus 100 degrees at night.
CHINA hopes to be growing potatoes on the dark side of the Moon within the next 100 days, it’s been revealed.
When its Chang’e 4 spacecraft touched down on the lunar surface it was carrying a £1m airtight container designed for growing crops in shocking conditions.
The 18cm high aluminium alloy cylinder – called a moon surface micro-ecological circle – contains silkworm eggs and seeds for potatoes and cress.
Chinese scientists now hope both plants will root and sprout in the container, producing the first flower ever grown on the space rock.
They hope to see the results towards the end of a 100-day experimental period, according to the country’s space agency.
Last night, they announced their first breakthrough publishing a picture of cotton seed, bought up on Chang’e 4 actually growing.
China Daily tweeted: “The latest test photo shows a cotton seed brought to the moon by China’s Chang’e 4 probe has sprouted.”
MOTHS TO HATCH IN SPACE
Meanwhile, the silkworm eggs will also hopefully hatch into moths, reports the SCMP.
However, cultivating the crops won’t be easy as temperatures on the moon’s surface can soar to 100 degrees Celsius (202 degrees Fahrenheit) in the day and drop to minus 100 degrees at night.
Earlier today China has released incredible footage of its historic touchdown on the icy far side of the moon.
Source: thesun.co.uk
