LCQ7: Strengthening promotion of aerospace popular science education
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Question:
Following the accomplishment of the launch mission of the country's Shenzhou-23 manned spaceship, the payload expert from Hong Kong successfully embarked on the journey into space and became the first Hong Kong person to enter space, sparking an upsurge of interest in aerospace in the local community. There are views pointing out that the Hong Kong Space Museum (Space Museum), as a base for aerospace popular science education in Hong Kong, has enjoyed wide popularity since its renovation. However, in the face of the rapid advancement of the country's aerospace science and technology, there remains room for further enriching and enhancing its exhibition contents and popular science activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the following operational data of the Space Museum over the past three years: (i) the total attendance each year; (ii) the attendance and average utilisation rates of its Exhibition Halls and the Space Theatre; (iii) the attendance figures and percentages for local students and young people, local members of the public, Mainland visitors and overseas visitors; and (iv) the number of applications for visits from schools/groups, with a tabulated breakdown of the aforesaid figures;
(2) given that the Space Museum has recently updated the contents of its Special Exhibition in the light of the launch of Shenzhou-23, but the exhibition period of the Special Exhibition is limited (ending on July 6, 2026), whether the Government has any plans to set up a permanent exhibition zone on Hong Kong's aerospace development in the Space Museum to systematically showcase to the public the contributions of Hong Kong's research teams and the endeavours of its astronauts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) in the light of the country's advances in various major aerospace technologies in recent years, of the specific strategies and mechanisms put in place by the Government for regularly reviewing and upgrading the exhibition and display contents of the Space Museum and the interactive experiences it offers to ensure the timeliness of its information; of the specific cycle for information updating and an estimate of the resources to be committed; and
(4) in response to the current upsurge of interest in aerospace in society, of the specific new measures and long-term strategies formulated by the Government to jointly promote aerospace popular science education and the training of innovation and technology (I&T) talents among local young people in collaboration with the Education Bureau and the I&T sector?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB) and the Education Bureau (EDB), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Michael Ngai is as follows:
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has been contributing to the country's aerospace development. Various research institutions and universities have been participating in aerospace research projects, including providing systems, instruments, and technical support for the country's lunar and Mars exploration missions, as well as conducting spaceborne experiments. The HKSAR Government has also established the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Center under the InnoHK Research Clusters to participate in related national aerospace missions. Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong possesses the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world. With five universities ranking among the world's top 100, Hong Kong provides a powerful impetus for nurturing and attracting innovation and technology (I&T) talent. The participation of a scientific research personnel from Hong Kong in the spaceflight mission for the first time is not only an affirmation of her own capability, but also a testimony to the country's high recognition of Hong Kong's I&T talent, development, and achievements. It also fully reflects the great importance attached, as well as the care and support given to the technological development in Hong Kong by the country. The HKSAR Government will seize the opportunities arising from the historic moment to launch a series of popular science education related to aerospace technology and promotional activities, showcasing the stellar achievements of the country's aerospace technology development and highlighting the distinctive contributions of the HKSAR to the national space endeavours, with a view to further enhancing popular science education. In fact, the ITIB and the Innovation and Technology Commission have been expanding the local research and I&T talent pool through a multipronged approach, supporting enterprises and research institutions in grooming technology (including aerospace technology) talents and promoting I&T development. For instance, the STEM Internship Scheme subsidises undergraduates and postgraduates taking full-time STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-related programmes to enrol in short-term internships, with a view to encouraging them to gain I&T-related work experience; the Research Talent Hub provides funding support to companies or organisations to engage research talents to conduct research and development work in Hong Kong; and the New Industrialisation and Technology Training Programme subsidises local enterprises on a 1(Government):1(enterprise) matching basis to train their staff in advanced technologies.
The Government has all along encouraged the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities to offer programmes which cater for Hong Kong's development needs, expand the talent pool of important areas, and strengthen Hong Kong's competitiveness. In the 2022 Policy Address, we announced our target that by the 2026/27 academic year, 35 per cent of the students of the UGC-funded universities will be studying STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) subjects and 60 per cent will be studying subjects relevant to Hong Kong's development into the "eight centres" in the 14th Five-Year Plan. During the 2025-28 triennium, the eight UGC-funded universities collectively introduce 27 new undergraduate programmes related to STEAM and the "eight centres". These programmes cover rapidly developing and highly popular emerging fields among young people in recent years, such as aerospace technology, AI, cybersecurity, creative industries, sustainable development and data science. They will not only consolidate Hong Kong's development in I&T and the "eight centres", but also create opportunities for young people to give full play to their strengths according to the latest trends of economic development.
As regards self-financing post-secondary education, the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP) implemented by the EDB subsidises students to pursue designated self-financing undergraduate and sub-degree programmes that meet Hong Kong's socio-economic development needs, including multiple I&T-related programmes. From the 2027/28 academic year onwards, priority will be given to the inclusion of AI-related programmes under the SSSDP, further aligning with Hong Kong's demand for highly-skilled talents in the I&T sector.
Regarding vocational and professional education and training, the Vocational Training Council continues to promote the cultivation of I&T talents from multiple fronts. These efforts include incorporating relevant AI content in the compulsory modules on Information Technology for all Higher Diploma programmes starting from the 2026/27 academic year, as well as establishing advanced facilities such as the AI and Big Data Centre to support the teaching of I&T. In addition, its Hong Kong Design Institute has launched the "Space Living Laboratory", which uses virtual reality and augmented reality technologies to cultivate students' innovative thinking in exploring space living.
In the primary and secondary school curriculum, the EDB has been strengthening the learning elements related to aerospace and I&T. The newly introduced Primary Science subject launched in the 2025/26 school year, includes topics such as "Aerospace and Innovation and Technology" and "Aerospace Technology Development of Our Country and the World". The updated Junior Secondary Science curriculum also includes a new unit, "Earth and Space", covering "Space Exploration Programmes by Our Country". At the senior secondary level, the Physics curriculum covers learning content on "Astronomy and Space Science", deepening students' understanding of I&T and aerospace science.
In addition, the EDB collaborates with tertiary institutions and professional bodies to provide students with diversified learning experiences beyond the classroom. For instance, in the 2024/25 school year, the EDB jointly organised the Hong Kong Secondary Student Space Station Popular Science Payload and Science Experiment Design Challenge with the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In the 2025/26 school year, the EDB co-organised the space-themed project "Building the Future: Robotics for the International Lunar Research Station" Lunar Robot Design Competition, with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Chinese Society of Astronautics. The EDB also organises student experiential programmes and thematic seminars, including the "Science and Technology Innovation Lecture" co-organised with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the "Training Programmes and Budding Scheme on Innovation and Technology" jointly organised with Cyberport. These initiatives enable students to gain a better understanding of aerospace science and I&T, thereby facilitating the nurturing of I&T talent. Besides, the EDB promotes the learning activities provided by the Hong Kong Space Museum (Space Museum) through various channels. For example, in light of Hong Kong's payload expert participating in the national space mission, the EDB will issue a circular memorandum to primary and secondary schools to encourage them to organise visits to the Space Museum, with a view to deepening students' understanding of aerospace science.
The Space Museum under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is committed to fostering community interest in astronomy and space science. The operational data of the Space Museum over the past three years are as follows:
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | |
| Total attendance | 1 022 633 | 1 026 404 | 917 046 |
| Attendance of the exhibition halls | 694 105 | 730 133 | 623 389* |
| Attendance of the Space Theatre | 328 528 | 296 271# | 293 657 |
| Average attendance rate of the Space Theatre | 64% | 57% | 57% |
| Number of applications for visits from schools/registered non-profit-making organisations and charities | 283 | 367 | 343 |
# Ticket prices of the Space Theatre shows have been adjusted since September 1, 2024.
According to the questionnaire surveys conducted by the LCSD in 2025, the percentages of local, Mainland and overseas visitors to the Space Museum were approximately 57 per cent, 28 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively.
The Space Museum has set up several exhibition zones in its permanent exhibition halls to showcase, on a long-term basis, the contributions of Hong Kong's research teams to the country's aerospace endeavours. These exhibition zones include the "Moon | Mars VR" zone, which makes use of the data provided by the China National Space Administration and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to create a virtual reality environment of the Moon and Mars, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the landing sites of Chang'e-4 and Tianwen-1; the "Zhurong's Mars Exploration" zone, which highlights the Mars Landing Surveillance Camera developed by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University's research team for participation in the country's Mars exploration mission, as well as their analyses and assessments of Mars landing sites; the "China's Lunar Exploration" zone, which showcases the contributions of various Hong Kong research teams to the Chang'e-1 to Chang'e-6 lunar exploration missions, reflecting the indispensable and significant role Hong Kong has always been playing in the country's lunar exploration missions; as well as the "China's Space Exploration" zone, which features the training video footage of Dr Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong's first payload expert, enabling visitors to know more about the journey of astronauts from training to their missions aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The Space Museum will continue to update the contents of its permanent exhibition halls, incorporating relevant information on Hong Kong's participation in the country's aerospace projects in a timely manner.
In view of the rapid advancement of the country's aerospace technology, the Space Museum has been conducting regular reviews of its exhibition contents and, in response to the key milestones of various major aerospace missions, updating the relevant exhibits and information in a timely manner. For instance, following the recent launch of the Shenzhou-23 mission, the Space Museum has incorporated an introduction of the said mission, the mission patches of the three astronauts with their autographs, as well as the training video footage of Dr Lai Ka-ying, aiming to present to members of the public the glorious achievements of the country's development in the realm of aerospace.
The Space Museum actively promotes aerospace popular science education among local young people. Activities include the "Young Astronaut Training Camp" organised since 2009, in which 30 local secondary school students are selected each year to participate in astronaut training during the summer holidays at venues such as the Beijing Aerospace City, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and the National Astronomical Observatories, where they gain knowledge about space science and astronomy, leading to an in-depth understanding of the country's aerospace technology development and achievements. As at 2025/26, a total of 420 secondary school students have participated. Moreover, the Space Museum organises a wide range of activities each year to promote aerospace popular science education among local young people. For example, in 2025/26, the Space Museum conducted more than 460 sessions of relevant activities, including special programmes to complement the "Space Day of China", guided tours for the public and schools, "School Culture Day" activities, aerospace thematic talks, post-screening activities for selected Space Theatre shows and outreach programmes to schools.
Ends/Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:57
Issued at HKT 12:57
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