HKU team goes over the moon

The moon has landed in Hong Kong. Not shining beams but the basic stuff.

Geologists at the University of Hong Kong have got soil samples from the moon collected by the Chinese lunar probe Chang'e-5 in 2020.

They are the first research team here to secure samples.

The team led by Qian Yuqi, a post doctoral researcher from HKU's department of earth sciences, obtained four lunar soil samples weighing a total of 822.6 milligrams.

Qian said this was a dream come true for Hong Kong's space scientists, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the moon, earth and the solar system.

The geologists will use the samples to study the geology and thermal evolution of the moon. They want a deeper understanding of the late volcanic activity history on the moon, as well as the distribution and evolution of volatiles in the lunar magma system.

The research team has set up the Planetary Spectroscopy and Mineralogy Lab at HKU, with the aim of providing laboratory support for space missions.