220900643 Newsletter(Eng)

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Civil Service Newsletter Editorial Board

HONG KONG in December 2008 was gripped by “space fever” during the four-day visit by the Shenzhou-7 delegation following China’s successful manned space mission.

Shenzhou-7 was the third manned space The astronauts started their second day of visit mission of the China’s space programme, which with a harbour tour hosted by Director of Civil included an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) carried Engineering & Development, John Chai Sung-veng, out by crewmembers Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming, who briefed the delegation on the development marked the commencement of the second phase of of major infrastructure projects along the Victoria the Chinese Government’s Project 921. Harbour waterfront.

The Shenzhou spacecraft carrying the three That afternoon, the delegation joined Chief crewmembers was launched on September 25, Secretary for Administration, Henry Tang Ying-yen, 2008, by a Long March 2F (CZ-2F) rocket which to open the Exhibition on China’s First Spacewalk lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Mission, which included valuable exhibits such as The mission lasted three days, after which the craft the Shenzhou-7 re-entry capsule, the astronauts’ landed safely in Siziwang Banner in central Inner spacesuits and the national fl ag displayed during Mongolia on September 28, 2008. The EVA carried the spacewalk. out during the fl ight makes China the third country to have conducted an EVA, after Russia and the Other major exhibits included the main United States. parachute of the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft, working journals and astronaut backpacks, space food, Following the delegation’s arrival in Hong Kong, models of the spacecraft and the Changzheng delegation leader Zhang Jianqi and astronauts Zhai 2F rocket, together with 100 photos of the Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng attended a mission. This was followed by a seminar to brief welcome dinner at the Hong Kong Convention and tertiary students on the launch of Shenzhou-7, space Exhibition Centre hosted by government representatives walk technology and China’s aerospace science and attended by local dignitaries, academics and development, which, needless to say, was members of the Hong Kong business community. enthusiastically received by all. honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty an 08 Features Features honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrityty honesty and integrity honesty and integrity honesty and integrity

On September 27, Zhai Zhigang, wearing a hundreds of space enthusiasts conveyed the Chinese-developed Feitian space suit, conducted a warmth and national pride all Hong Kong 20-minute space walk, the fi rst ever for a Chinese citizens felt for our country’s astronauts and astronaut. He slipped out of the orbital module in a their achievements. head-fi rst position and wandered around the orbital module, retrieved experiment samples and waved The delegation’s fi nal day in Hong Kong saw the National fl ag in space. The space walk lasted the astronauts attending an exhibition of posters about 20 minutes. Liu Boming also conducted an designed by Hong Kong students in celebration of EVA, standing up to hand Zhai the National fl ag. both their achievements in space and to mark their The third astronaut, Jing Haipeng remained in the visit. To the delight of school children attending re-entry module to monitor the general situation the exhibition, the astronauts then held a question of the spacecraft. The space walk was broadcast and answer session, which proved inspirational for live on Chinese media, and two cameras provided the many students now also determined to embark panoramic images. upon a career in space-related occupations.

The third day of the astronauts’ highly All too soon for many the delegation’s brief anticipated visit saw the delegation at Hong Kong visit was drawing to a close. Chief Executive Stadium, where a variety show attended by Donald Tsang Yam-kuen hosted a farewell ceremony at Government House, attended by Secretary for Justice, Wong Yan-lung, Secretary for Education, Michael Suen Ming-yeung, and Secretary for Home Affairs, Tsang Tak-sing.

Mr Tsang presented each astronaut with a set of DVDs and photo albums commemorating their visit to Hong Kong and thanked delegation members for meeting with Hong Kong people during their visit and sharing their spirit of perseverance and their selfl ess contribution to China’s ongoing space programme. Mr Tsang stated that the astronauts’ visit had added a new dynamism to Hong Kong while bringing joy to the community.