▁water ▁is ▁to ▁be ▁rec yc led ▁internally . ▁The ▁crew ' s ▁waste ▁was ▁comp ost ed . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁on ▁the ▁facility ▁began ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁The ▁facility ▁was ▁un ve iled ▁on ▁the ▁Chinese ▁New ▁Year ▁( 3 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 4 ). ▁It ▁was ▁commission ed ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁mission ▁starting ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Miss ions ▁ ▁First ▁research ▁mission ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁research ▁mission ▁was ▁the ▁Integr ative ▁Ex perimental ▁Fac ility ▁" L un ar ▁Palace ▁ 1 " ▁for ▁P erman ent ▁Ast ro base ▁Life - support ▁Art ific ial ▁Cl osed ▁E cos ystem ▁( P AL ACE ) ▁Research ▁( aka ▁" L un ar ▁Palace - 1 "), ▁a ▁ 1 0 5 - day ▁mission ▁of ▁three ▁research ers . ▁The ▁one ▁man , ▁D ong ▁Chen , ▁and ▁two ▁women , ▁X ie ▁Be iz hen ▁and ▁Wang ▁Min ju an , ▁volunte ers ▁from ▁the ▁B U AA , ▁conducted ▁the ▁first ▁long - duration ▁research ▁project ▁of ▁this ▁kind ▁in ▁China , ▁ 3 ▁February ▁to ▁ 2 0 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁crew ▁grew ▁five ▁c ere als , ▁including ▁whe at , ▁corn , ▁so y beans , ▁pe an uts ▁and ▁l ent ils ; ▁ 1 5 ▁veget ables , ▁including ▁car ro ts , ▁c uc um bers ▁and ▁ ▁water ▁spin