Part of the mirror platform for scientific experiments at China's space station. [Photo/China Media Group]

A mirror platform for scientific experiments at China's space station has entered the official operation stage, which will provide important support for scientific experiments on the space station, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The mirror platform is equipped with 14 science experiment cabinets and corresponding public support equipment for information, power distribution, and fluid cooling inside and outside the cabin.

It operates as a scientific experiment system on the ground parallel to China's space station. The extensive scientific experiments the Shenzhou-19 crew is about to conduct have already undergone matching and verification experiments.

"Through the platform, we have conducted ground verification for the experiments that the Shenzhou-19 crew will perform, as well as for the experiment payloads, related software, and spare parts before the launch," Zhong Hongen, a researcher at CSU, told China Media Group.

The mirror platform has three main functions as an important ground science experiment infrastructure of the national space laboratory.

First, before the scientific payloads carried by the Shenzhou and Tianzhou spacecraft are launched, they must undergo final confirmation testing there, where astronauts can also receive operational training for scientific experiments. Second, scientific experiment plans conducted on the space station can be verified there in advance, allowing for troubleshooting and solution verification in case of any faults that occur in orbit. Lastly, it supports Earth-to-space comparison experiments, enabling comparative analysis and research between the scientific experiments conducted at the space station and on the mirror platform.

"Earth-to-space comparison experiments involve conducting experiments in space while simultaneously on the ground. This allows for a comparison under similar conditions, differing only in microgravity, to observe how the two different gravity factors affect the experimental results," said Zhong.

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