Screen image captured on September 2, 2022 at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou 14 taikonaut Liu Yang returning to the space station lab module Wentian after completing extravehicular activities. LI JIE XINHUA HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has launched a preliminary screening for payload specialists that could join China's future space missions.
The country recruits candidates for payload specialists in the HKSAR for the first time.
The screening process will run until Oct 27 and candidates should submit their application forms through designated universities, research centers and other institutions.
After the initial selection by the HKSAR government, the subsequent screening will be carried out by the relevant mainland authorities.
The candidates must be Chinese nationals who are permanent residents of the HKSAR, aged between 30 and 45, with a doctoral degree in a relevant field and at least three years of professional working experience in a relevant discipline, according to the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government.
Payload specialists are scientists who are responsible for conducting aerospace experiments or research, operating space laboratory equipment, and managing daily operations of space stations with other astronauts.
Andy Kong, a research assistant at the Laboratory for Space Research at the University of Hong Kong, was over the moon when he learned of payload specialists from Hong Kong for the country's space missions.
Kong, a Ph.D. candidate in computer science, said he would speed up completing his graduation thesis to be able to qualify. He is disappointed that he might be too tall to meet the requirements because he has a height of over 180 cm.
Space missions require astronauts to meet certain physical attributes, and for this time, male candidates should be between 162 cm and 175 cm in height.
I wanted to get my hair cut, but maybe I'm still too tall for this, he said.
Quentin Parker, the LSR's head, said that many students in the lab were very excited to hear the news, but they are too young to apply.
This is going to capture the imagination of the young people. Even though some young people are not old enough for this, they see it as an opportunity, he said.
With the integration of Hong Kong into the major science endeavors of the country, scientists and engineers in Hong Kong are looking at all the amazing opportunities, not just in the greater bay area but in the mainland in general, he said.
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According to Xinhua, the chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, Denis Yip, said that ASTRI has already confirmed the applications of more than 10 qualified candidates, most of whom are PhDs in electrical engineering and physics.
He said that if a Hongkonger gets the job, that will be something that will go down in history.
HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu praised payload specialist recruitment in Hong Kong, saying it was of great historical significance. He said that the country encourages and welcomes Hong Kong compatriots to contribute to the country's development, and shows the country's confidence in Hong Kong's level of scientific research and development as well as its care for the development of Hong Kong's young people.