The largest-ever outdoor aerospace expo in Hong Kong featuring China's spectacular space achievement will be held from Christmas to Chinese New Year at the West Kowloon harbor front.

"China Space Expo cum Space Odyssey" will be hosted by Beijing Sciences Association and organized by Beijing 1831 Mobility Technology Center and China Exhibition Organizing Committee.

The expo will showcase more than 10 reproduction of China's space artifacts in Hong Kong for the first time.

The largest exhibit will be Long March-2F rocket launcher (1:2) with 29.3 meter height and 4.2 meter width.

Shenzhou spacecraft and Shenzhou re-entry capsule, as featured in China's first manned space mission by astronaut Yang Liwei, will be exhibited life-size.

The exhibition will also include China's first moon exploration satellite Chang'e-1 (1:3) that was launched in October.

Hong Kong Pavilion will show Hong Kong Polytechnic University's space development projects, such as soil sampling tool SOPSYS that will be used in Phobos Mission, the China-Russia mission to Mars in 2009.

Besides space exhibition, there will also be space experience activities like astronaut training show and lunar landing show, which has been authorized by National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Su Lizhong, curator chairperson of Beijing 1831 Mobility Technology Center said the expo would highlight three milestones in China's aerospace development.

The milestones were the launching of China's first man-made satellite in 1970, first manned spacecraft in 2003 and first moon exploration satellite, he said.

He expresed hope that the expo could enhance visitors' space knowledge and strengthen their national identity.

Karen Loh, project director of the expo said about 800,000 to one million visitors would visit the expo.

The organizer will hire 200 to 300 persons for posts like guards, set-up workers and food court attendants during the expo.

To increase students' interest in science, the expo will offer school tours costing HK$50 on weekday's morning. Weekday price for adult is HK$120.

(China Daily, December 7, 2007)