Selection of HK and Macau payload specialists for national space program 'essentially completed'

The selection of the fourth batch of Chinese astronauts, which involved the participation of experts from Hong Kong and Macau, is about to be completed and details will be released soon.

The deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, Lin Xiqiang, announced on Wednesday that China has essentially completed the selection of payload specialists in both SARs and will notify the governments promptly.

The payload specialists will work with other astronauts to carry out follow-up missions of the space station Tiangong and realize China's manned lunar landing.

Lin added that he engaged in extensive exchanges with scientific research institutions during his visit to Hong Kong and Macau in November. The two cities have proposed a group of new space science and application projects - such as a high-resolution global greenhouse gas detection project - that could be carried out at Tiangong.

China selected 14 and seven astronauts from air force pilots in 1998 and 2010 respectively. In 2020, it completed the selection of the third batch of 18 astronauts including space pilots, flight engineers and payload specialists.