Aerospace expo to open
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki (fourth right), China National Space Administration Chief Engineer Li Guoping (fourth left), and First-level Inspector of Department of Educational, Scientific & Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Liu Maozhou (third left) officiate at the expo’s opening ceremony.
Mr Chan (second right) views the expo’s exhibits.
The “National Development & Achievements Series - Endless Exploration: The Journey of Chinese Aerospace, Aviation & Navigation" exhibition will be launched at the Science Museum from tomorrow to September 7.
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki said at the expo’s opening ceremony that the Chang'e-6's successful return to earth bringing lunar soil samples from the far side of the Moon last year represents a global first, underscoring China's leading position in lunar exploration.
He added that the exhibition showcases the remarkable achievements of the Chang'e lunar exploration programme and the country's remarkable accomplishments in aerospace, aviation and navigation.
The exhibition includes the first concurrent display in Hong Kong of lunar soil samples collected from the far side and near side of the Moon by the Chang'e-6 and the Chang'e-5 respectively.
Other debut exhibits include the Chang'e-6 returner and parachute, seawater samples collected from 10,000 metres under the sea, and models of the "three pearls" of the shipbuilding industry, namely an aircraft carrier, a luxury cruise ship and a liquefied natural gas carrier.
The expo will display large-scale aerospace, aviation and maritime models concurrently, including an approximately 12m-tall 1:5 Long March-5 launch vehicle and a full-size Fendouzhe full-ocean-depth manned submersible with a length of approximately 10m displayed outdoors, as well as a 1:8 model of a Y-20 heavy lifter with a wingspan of approximately 6m displayed indoors for the first time.
It will also present Hong Kong's significant contributions to the space and deep-sea exploration projects of the country. Plus, interactive exhibits of the "Lunar Base", the "Zhurong Rover Expedition" and more are available for visitors to experience the challenges of building a lunar base and exploring Mars.
Fixed-point guided tours will be provided on Saturdays and Sundays from August 9 to September 7. Additionally, lectures will be conducted tomorrow and on August 4, and the public is welcome to participate in lectures and tours on-site. Other activities include experiment classes, workshops and demonstrations.