PolyU “Pioneering the Moon: From Exploration to Base Construction” Lunar Base Design Competition Concludes Successfully

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been actively participating in the Nation’s space missions. This academic year, PolyU organised the space-theme programme “Pioneering the Moon: From Exploration to Base Construction”, aiming to cultivate young people’s interest in aerospace technology and in contributing to the Nation’s space development. The programme was sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) (BOCHK) and supported by the Chinese Society of Astronautics and the Hong Kong Society of Astronautics. The Lunar Base Design Competition received over 40 design proposals from students of 28 secondary schools and international schools in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. An award ceremony was held on 30 May at the Chiang Chen Studio Theatre at the PolyU campus, attended by nearly 200 experts, students, teachers and parents.

Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, stated, “PolyU has always been at the forefront of technological advancement and research. We are proud to be part of our nation’s efforts to explore and understand the Moon and Mars through various Chang’e and Tianwen missions, leveraging our cutting-edge research and engineering capabilities to make significant contributions to the development of Hong Kong, our nation, and the world. The innovative designs and ideas of the participating teams have impressed the judges. The students' dedication and creativity are truly inspiring and vital to the future of space exploration.”

Mrs Ann KUNG, Advisor of BOCHK, stated, “Our nation has made tremendous strides in aerospace technology in recent years. To seize the opportunities presented by the national aerospace programme, Hong Kong must actively cultivate a new generation of aerospace technology talent and integrate more deeply into the country’s overall development. As a leading commercial and regional bank with over a century of deep roots in Hong Kong, Bank of China (Hong Kong) is committed to fulfilling our corporate social responsibilities and in particular advancing the holistic development of young people, thus empowering the next generation of pioneers. In line with the national strategy of ‘building China into a space power’, we have also been actively promoting the popularization of aerospace science in recent years through supporting educational outreach projects and other diverse and innovative activities,  encouraging citizens particularly young people to understand our country's aerospace development, enhancing their knowledges in aerospace and contributing to the cultivation of aerospace talents in Hong Kong and the development of Hong Kong's aerospace industry. ”

The judging panel praised the participating students for their outstanding creativity and scientific talent, inspiring the next generation of space explorers and innovators. Prof. WU Bo, Fiona Cheung Professor in Spatial Science, Associate Head (Research) of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, and Associate Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations of PolyU, commended the students’ innovative designs and encouraged them to further refine their works and explore opportunities in the Nation’s thriving space research and developments.

The Lunar Base Design Competition focused on themes that included Lunar Architecture and Energy, Lunar Robots, and Astronaut Health and Life Support. Students were required to design innovative lunar bases based on scientific research and data analysis. After evaluation by a judging panel comprising PolyU aerospace experts and members of the Hong Kong Society of Astronautics, teams from Pui Kiu College, ESF Sha Tin College, and St. Paul’s Convent School (Secondary Section) won champion, first runner-up and second runner-up awards respectively. The three winning teams will receive prizes to encourage their continued participation in STEM education activities at schools.

The champion team from Pui Kiu College proposed a multifunctional lunar robot designed to assist astronauts on the lunar surface in tasks such as sample collection and equipment maintenance, enhancing the efficiency and safety of lunar soil collection and aiding in the exploration of shadowed regions on the Moon and the discovery of new resources and geological features.

Prof. Wing-tak Wong (3rd from right) and Mrs Ann Kung (4th from left) presented the award to the champion team from Pui Kiu College.

The first runner-up team from ESF Sha Tin College designed a solar-powered lunar base using heliostats, which could potentially increase the base's energy efficiency by 67%, providing astronauts with a sustainable lunar living and working environment.

Prof. Miranda Lou (3rd from right) presented the award to the first runner-up team from ESF Sha Tin College.

The second runner-up team from St. Paul’s Convent School (Secondary Section) proposed a robotic construction base with a sustainable energy system, allowing the base to be fully deployed with autonomous robots, ensuring a swift completion of base construction in a shorter time and reducing astronauts' exposure to harmful radiation.

Prof. Miranda Lou (3rd from right) presented the award to the second runner-up team from St. Paul’s Convent School (Secondary Section).

The space-theme programme “Pioneering the Moon: From Exploration to Base Construction” also hosted a public space-themed lecture and two online lectures earlier, and arranged for students to visit the PolyU Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations to deepen their aerospace knowledge.

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