Astronauts, experts praise contributions of SARs to nation's space programs

Some candidates from Hong Kong and Macao have entered the final stage of selection for payload specialists, Lin said, expressing the hope to see astronauts from the SARs at the Tiangong space station soon.

Chen, from the Shenzhou XIV mission, said that curiosity, the spirit of exploration and the love for Hong Kong and the nation exhibited by the people, including a student who wrote a letter to the Shenzhou XIV crew members, prompted him to come to the city and share stories about China's manned missions.

Chen, who had replied to the letter from a Hong Kong middle school student, said that Tiangong is "the home of Chinese people in space" and is open to experts from Hong Kong and Macao.

Students from Hong Kong and Macao also left an indelible impression on Wang Yaping, the nation's first female astronaut to conduct a spacewalk and one of the three Shenzhou XIII crew members who beamed a science lesson from Tiangong for students across the nation in 2021.

Wang said she was deeply impressed by a Hong Kong student who asked her if water could be recycled in space.

The astronaut said she felt fortunate to be able to build passion for aerospace endeavors in young minds, and added that she is looking forward to having students from Hong Kong and Macao join the country's aerospace team soon.

Atlas Shao in Hong Kong contributed to this story.