SPACE RACE II: China takes aim at the Moon with long-term cabin trial.

Science students have moved into a cabin to simulate life in a lunar-like environment for up to 200 days.

The goal is to prepare for a long-term space mission with no input from the outside world.

China has poured huge funding into its space programme to rival that of the US and Russia.

Four postgraduate students from the astronautics university of Beihang on Wednesday moved into the cabin, ambitiously called the Yuegong-1, or Lunar Palace in English.

They will stay in the cabin for 60 days, followed by another group who will stay for 200 days. The first four will then return for yet another 105 days.

According to state news agency Xinhua, one of the main elements of the experiment is to explore is how a space mission could be entirely self-contained over a long period of time.

Human waste will undergo a bio-fermentation process, and crops and vegetables are to be grown with the help of food and waste by-products.

China’s space program is progressing much like their naval expansion program: With patience and determination.