Macao science workers actively join payload specialist selection for manned space program

Science workers in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have responded actively to payload specialist selection for the country's manned space program.

The selection, announced on Monday, was held in Macao for the first time, aiming to select specialists who will undertake scientific research and experiments in space and operate the space laboratory equipment.

William Chong Hang Chao, associate professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences of University of Macao (UM), has submitted his application for the selection after carefully checking the requirements.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Macao SAR, the target candidates are required to be healthy Chinese nationals aged between 30 and 45 who are permanent residents of the Macao SAR with a doctoral degree and have engaged themselves for at least three years in the research fields of medicine, biology, psychology, physics or chemistry, mechanical or electrical engineering, astronomy or other disciplines.

If selected, Chao said he wishes to carry out research on the influences of a gravity-free environment upon the body functions and histocyte of organisms so as to lay the foundation for biological research on future space travel.

Pui In Mak, acting director of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI at UM, said he is most interested in finding out how to improve broadband communication in order to make high-speed wireless communication between the space station and the ground smoother.

Sio Weng Hong, lecturer at the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering at UM, said he would like to research influences of space radiation on the physical properties of semiconductor materials by collecting, processing, and analyze data from experiments in space.

Tang Chi Pui, associate professor at the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences at Macao University of Science and Technology, said they used to feel the chance was too slim for them to work in space.

"Now, the rare opportunity of payload specialist selection makes us better oriented and more motivated," said Tang, whose lab was China's first state key laboratory in the field of astronomy and planetary sciences and has taken part in major national deep space exploration projects.