A picture showing a volunteer doing research in a “space” capsule of China’s Lunar Palace 1 was included in Nature’s best science images of the year, Xinhuanet.com reported on Dec. 21.

The Lunar Palace 1 is China’s first bioregenerative life support base, and just the third in the world. It aims to simulate a moon-like environment for space exploration, Liu Hong, chief designer of the base introduced.

China ranks top in the world’s study of bioregenerative life support systems, Liu added.

The Lunar Palace 1 involves an integrated cabin and two plant cabins. Like a micro-biosphere, it can meet the basic life requirements for four researchers and allow them to carry out scientific research.

The “Lunar Palace 365” program to test the life support system for 365 days was launched in May 2017. If successful, China will break the world record in system operation time.