Round Table China Space's next pioneers aren't wearing spacesuits
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Jan 21, 2026 In this engaging discussion, Steve Hatherley, a space applications expert, and Fei Fei, a contributor focused on space-driven innovation, explore how space technology is transforming various industries. They reveal how cosmic radiation enhances crop resilience and how microgravity accelerates drug design with purer protein crystals. The conversation also delves into the benefits of orbital computing and addresses concerns about space debris. Additionally, they highlight China's unique approach to commercial space and its potential to reshape the future.
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Space As An Optionality Platform
- Commercial space sells optionality to industries, not just transport or tourism.
- Optionality lets companies test ideas impossible on Earth and shorten R&D cycles.
Space Fast-Forwards Plant Breeding
- Microgravity and cosmic radiation rapidly generate many genetic variants in seeds.
- Scientists can screen these variants to find rare useful traits like drought resistance much faster.
The Space Pumpkin Example
- Niu Honglin recalled a trip where a local hugged a huge "space pumpkin" born from space breeding.
- The example shows mutated crops from space experiments have entered China's fields and markets.