During the maiden voyage of Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft, scientists will test a medicine for treating bone loss that was developed for astronauts but which they hope will benefit ordinary people.

The main mission of Tianzhou 1, which was launched on Thursday, is to test propellant refueling technology, which is crucial for the construction and operation of China's planned space station. However, each voyage presents a precious opportunity to conduct space experiments.

Chinese scientists will use the microgravity environment to test the role of an acid known as 3HB (for 3-hydroxybutyric acid) in preventing osteoporosis, according to research leader Chen Guoqiang, who is also director of Tsinghua University's Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology.