At 11:08 pm Beijing time on May 24, the Long March 2F Y23 carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Hong Kong's first-ever astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, joined the mission as a crew member. Lai will serve as a payload specialist, operating the MUlti Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO) — a scientific payload developed under Hong Kong's leadership.
The MUSICO is the first Hong Kong-developed scientific payload to board China's space station. It is also the world's first lightweight, high-resolution collaborative detector for point-source carbon dioxide and methane emissions. The device had already arrived at the space station earlier aboard the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft. Weighing 80 kilograms and pure white in appearance, the MUSICO is a world-class space-based carbon monitoring device — a "thousand-mile eye for carbon capture" in space. It is capable of accurately capturing carbon dioxide emissions from 99% of China's coal-fired power plants and 99.9% of methane emissions (i.e., gas emissions) from coal mines, providing scientific data to support the nation's "dual carbon" monitoring efforts.
Professor Su Hui, Director of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's Institute of Space Science and Technology and project lead for the MUSICO, revealed the design and working principles behind the device, as well as the reasons for sending it into space. "Having a Hong Kong astronaut operate a scientific payload developed under Hong Kong's leadership is a landmark event of great significance," Su said. She also noted that during Lai Jiaying's training, the MUSICO project team assigned personnel to teach her how to install and operate the instrument. Once Li arrives at the space station, she will be responsible for the in-orbit operation of the MUSICO.
According to Professor Su, the MUSICO acts like a sharp "eye in space," capable of imaging global greenhouse gas emission sources with high precision from an orbital altitude of about 400 kilometres, accurately pinpointing emission locations and quantifying emission intensities. "In the past, people's understanding of emissions reduction and energy transition may have been somewhat abstract," Su said. "With these precise data, we can clearly see who is emitting and how much."
Su explained that to help the nation achieve its "dual carbon" goals — peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 — her team specially designed this high-precision detection instrument. The first-hand data it captures will provide key support for formulating science-based emission reduction policies and advancing energy structure transformation, as well as enhancing China's voice and influence in global climate governance. She also hopes the project will raise public awareness of carbon reduction and promote a green, low-carbon lifestyle.
The project is led by a team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with multiple top-tier research institutes from the Mainland. The entire research, development and integration process was completed over two years, serving as an exemplary achievement of deep integration and collaborative innovation between Hong Kong and Mainland research capabilities.
Professor Su said this is a highly significant project for Hong Kong's deep participation in the nation's aerospace technology development. It demonstrates the nation's recognition of and support for Hong Kong's involvement in the country's space endeavours, and also shows that Hong Kong's research teams are capable of developing world-leading scientific instruments to contribute Hong Kong's strength and wisdom to the nation's space programme.
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