Hong Kong research boosts China's national deep space exploration

Since its return to the motherland in 1997, Hong Kong is playing an increasingly visible role in China's national drive to build itself into a space power.

Universities and research institutions in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) have become increasingly integrated into the country's major space programs, contributing technologies ranging from lunar exploration equipment to scientific payloads aboard the China Space Station.

The city reached a historic milestone on May 24, when Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, the city's first astronaut, entered the China Space Station as part of the Shenzhou-23 crewed mission, marking Hong Kong's transition from providing engineering and scientific support on the ground to participating directly in crewed space operations.

Behind the milestone lies decades of scientific contributions. Research teams from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University have developed key technologies for China's Chang'e lunar exploration missions, including camera pointing systems and the lunar surface sampling and packing system used during the Chang'e-6 mission, which helped accomplish the world's first collection of samples from the far side of the moon. The team also developed a Mars camera for the Tianwen-1 mission and has continued contributing to the country's deep space exploration programs.

Hong Kong's space research portfolio continues to expand. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is leading the development of a multifunctional lunar surface operation robot and mobile charging station selected for the upcoming Chang'e-8 mission. Designed to carry out tasks such as lunar soil investigation and equipment deployment, the robot will support scientific operations on the lunar surface.

In May, the Tianyun Camera developed by the HKUST, was delivered to China's space station aboard the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft. As Hong Kong's first scientific payload deployed aboard the country's space station, it is designed to monitor concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane from major emission sources across the globe, providing scientific data for climate and environmental research.

To encourage further innovation, the HKSAR government launched a dedicated funding scheme for space technology research in 2024 and established the Hong Kong Center for Space Robotics and Energy. Led by the HKUST and working with local, mainland and overseas partners, the center is developing technologies to support future national space missions.

Hong Kong researchers have become active contributors to a growing number of national space missions, with locally developed technologies supporting lunar exploration, Mars missions and scientific research aboard China's space station. Their growing contributions underscore Hong Kong's integration into the country's space program.