The largest-ever outdoor aerospace expo in Hong Kong featuring
China's spectacular space achievement will be held from Christmas
to Chinese New Year at the West Kowloon harbor front.
"China Space Expo cum Space Odyssey" will be hosted by Beijing
Sciences Association and organized by Beijing 1831 Mobility
Technology Center and China Exhibition Organizing Committee.
The expo will showcase more than 10 reproduction of China's
space artifacts in Hong Kong for the first time.
The largest exhibit will be Long March-2F rocket launcher (1:2)
with 29.3 meter height and 4.2 meter width.
Shenzhou spacecraft and Shenzhou re-entry capsule, as featured
in China's first manned space mission by astronaut Yang Liwei, will
be exhibited life-size.
The exhibition will also include China's first moon exploration
satellite Chang'e-1 (1:3) that was launched in October.
Hong Kong Pavilion will show Hong Kong Polytechnic University's
space development projects, such as soil sampling tool SOPSYS that
will be used in Phobos Mission, the China-Russia mission to Mars in
2009.
Besides space exhibition, there will also be space experience
activities like astronaut training show and lunar landing show,
which has been authorized by National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Su Lizhong, curator chairperson of Beijing 1831 Mobility
Technology Center said the expo would highlight three milestones in
China's aerospace development.
The milestones were the launching of China's first man-made
satellite in 1970, first manned spacecraft in 2003 and first moon
exploration satellite, he said.
He expresed hope that the expo could enhance visitors' space
knowledge and strengthen their national identity.
Karen Loh, project director of the expo said about 800,000 to
one million visitors would visit the expo.
The organizer will hire 200 to 300 persons for posts like
guards, set-up workers and food court attendants during the
expo.
To increase students' interest in science, the expo will offer
school tours costing HK$50 on weekday's morning. Weekday price for
adult is HK$120.
(China Daily, December 7, 2007)