CUHK
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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’s Institute of Space and Earth Information Science (ISEIS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China National Space Administration’s Earth Observation System and Data Center today (30 November) to strengthen cooperation between Hong Kong and Mainland China in the field of earth observation and promote the development of aerospace technology. ISEIS also held a ceremony to launch a remote sensing satellite construction project, which plans to independently develop and launch CUHK’s first satellite.

China National Space Administration’s Earth Observation System and Data Center and CUHK’s ISEIS have conducted extensive communication and coordination, reaching broad consensus on various aspects of collaboration. This includes the “CUHK Science-1 Satellite” project and constellation construction, satellite data sharing and exchange, international cooperation and other related areas. Both parties will deepen their collaboration, expand the scope of cooperation and accelerate the establishment of the Hong Kong Aerospace Data Application Center at CUHK.

Officiating guests at the ceremony included Mr Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Zhao Jing, Director-General of the China Ministry of Science and Technology’s National Remote Sensing Center, Mr Zhao Jian, Director of the China National Space Administration’s Earth Observation System and Data Center, Mr Ivan Lee Kwok-bun, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President, and Professor Kwan Mei-po, ISEIS Director. Representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Land Registry, and the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were also in attendance.

Following the signing of the MoU, ISEIS held a ceremony to launch the project, “Development of CUHK Satellites and Integrated Remote Sensing Technologies for Near Real-time Landslide Monitoring”. This project is the first earth observation satellite construction project funded by the Hong Kong government (ITC/LSCM), and aims to independently develop and launch CUHK’s first satellite, which will be used to conduct research about smart cities, carbon neutrality and sustainable development.

The event also included lectures on space science and sustainable development. CUHK invited two distinguished experts in the fields of geography and remote sensing, Academician Guo Huadong and Academician Zhou Chenghu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to share their profound insights. They introduced the scientific satellite programme for sustainable development and discussed the analysis and applications of remote sensing big data.