An "incredible" and "surreal" video call with Chinese astronauts in outer space has deeply impressed Hong Kong students curious about the mysteries of the universe, driving them to explore more of the marvelous world around them.
In a Friday seminar in Hong Kong, three crew members of the Shenzhou XII spacecraft — now in the country's Tiangong space station — took questions from Hong Kong students in a live call, sharing their work and life in outer space. Some aerospace experts in Beijing also shared information on the nation's space exploration to the Hong Kong audience in a video chat.
Marco Clark, an aerospace engineering student at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said is the talk was an incredible opportunity the country offered to Hong Kong, and an incredible moment for young students to become the next generation of astronauts or tech-nauts, he said.
Chinese astronauts on board the Tiangong space station have a real-time video dialogue with Hong Kong students on Sept 3, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]
As a host of the event, Clark said it was an honor to offer assistance and participate in the event, adding he looks forward to involvement in the area in the future.
Timothy Wong, also an aerospace engineering undergraduate at HKUST, said the most "impressive" and "surreal" part of the event was talking with astronauts on the space station in real time, waving to astronauts and seeing them waving back. He noted it was a rare chance for Hong Kong residents to witness such a moment.
Tom Mok Kwan-pui, an aerospace PhD student from HKUST, said he treasured the rare opportunity to talk with astronauts and industrial experts. Their experience of overcoming difficulties during missions also gave him enlightenment in his daily work, Mok said.
Leo Yeung, 11, was excited to be one of only two students from his school to attend the event. Yeung, who idolizes the taikonauts, said he hoped Hong Kong could breed more aerospace professionals, as the nation needs such talents.
Also at the scene,was Zhang Wenqiang, a student from Pui Kiu Middle School who thanked the astronauts for their service to the country. The boy said he was inspired by the taikonauts to contribute to the country in the future.
Ng Ka-wo, a STEM pupil at the HKTA Yuen Yuen Institute No.3 Secondary School, expressed his hopes the call will not only give students a sense of the nation's aerospace development, but also be conducive for students to cultivate a sense of national identity.
Ng added he would welcome the SAR government to allocate more resources to mathematics, physics and chemistry so Hong Kong can contribute to the nation's science and technology development.
