PolyU Aerospace Research Overview: Chang'e, Tianwen, and Deep-Space Instruments

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) Integrated Information Database · 04 Research Module This article focuses on PolyU's most distinctive research calling card: developing flight-ready precision instruments for the nation's deep-space exploration missions. PolyU is the only Hong Kong university to have participated in multiple national space missions^※ (per PolyU press releases), with instruments that have flown aboard the Chang'e-3, Chang'e-4, Chang'e-5, and Chang'e-6 lunar missions and the Tianwen-1 Mars mission, performing critical operations. Information is based on PolyU press releases, the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) website, China National Space Administration (CNSA) announcements, Xinhua News Agency / China Daily reports, and relevant academic pages; all figures, years, and specifications are cited on the spot. Individuals named are in-house professors/team leaders whose aerospace achievements are neutral, positive facts recorded by name. For the panoramic timeline, cross-departmental collaboration, and future missions, see aerospace-program-overview.md; for the in-depth file on the surface sampling system, see lunar-sampling-system.md; for the institutional file on RCDSE, see deep-space-exploration-research-centre.md.

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# I. Two Teams, Two Main Lines of Work

PolyU's contribution to national space missions can be roughly divided into two complementary main lines:

According to public PolyU materials, Professor Yung Kai-leung's full title is "Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering, Associate Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations"^※, the central figure in PolyU's space instrument development.

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# II. Camera Pointing System (CPS) — Chang'e-3 & Chang'e-4

# 2.1 What It Is and What It Does

The Camera Pointing System (CPS) is mounted on top of the lander, serving as the probe's "rotatable eye": it supports a camera, enabling wide-range rotation in the lunar surface's low-gravity environment to capture panoramic images of the landing and roving area, and observe the rover's movement^※, while also building a high-precision 3D terrain model^※ for safe roving (per RCDSE).

Note: More granular figures — "able to rotate vertically by 120 degrees and laterally by 350 degrees", "dimensions approx. 85 cm × 27 cm × 16 cm" — circulate in some aggregated media reports. However, PolyU Milestones and the RCDSE official page only confirm the 2.8 kg mass and the temperature range; for prudence, this article takes the officially confirmed figures as definitive and withholds detailed dimensional data from being cited as verified fact.

# 2.2 Mission Record

According to PolyU materials, the first-generation CPS made its debut on Chang'e-3 in 2013 and operated normally during the lunar surface mission^※; it was later used on the Chang'e-4 mission, humanity's first soft landing on the far side of the Moon — Chang'e-4 was successfully launched on 8 December 2018^※, achieving its far-side landing in early 2019 (per PolyU Milestones). The CPS was jointly developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the team led by Professor Yung Kai-leung^※.

The system later received international recognition: according to RCDSE, the Camera Pointing System was awarded a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury at the 2022 International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva^※.

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# III. Surface Sampling and Packing System (SSPS) — Chang'e-5 & Chang'e-6

# 3.1 Chang'e-5: Refining an Instrument Over Nine Years

The core of the third phase of the National Lunar Exploration Programme was "sample return" — bringing lunar regolith back to Earth. The PolyU team undertook the instrument development for a critical link in this chain: lunar surface sampling, packing, and sealing. According to PolyU press releases, Professor Yung's team was commissioned to develop the system starting in 2011, a process that took approximately 9 years^※, in collaboration with the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST); Chang'e-5 successfully soft-landed on the lunar surface on 1 December 2020^※, after which the system completed automatic sampling and packing (per PolyU press releases).

Composition and Specifications of the Surface Sampling and Packing System (SSPS) (per PolyU press releases):

# 3.2 Chang'e-6: Humanity's First Far-Side Sampling

Four years later, the system embarked on another mission, this time with increased difficulty — the target was the far side of the Moon. According to PolyU press releases, PolyU designed and manufactured an upgraded Surface Sampling and Packing System for the Chang'e-6 mission. Chang'e-6 achieved a soft landing on the lunar far side on 2 June 2024 (mission documents note the soft landing was completed on 3 June)^※, completing fully automated surface sampling and packing, thus achieving humanity's first-ever sampling from the far side of the Moon (per PolyU press releases). PolyU emphasises that this system uses a fully automated, multi-point lunar surface sampling and packing mechanism, distinct from the drilling or manual collection methods used by other nations previously; the key upgrade was enabling the sampling to be completed in time within the more constrained time window on the lunar far side (per PolyU press releases). PolyU was the only university in Hong Kong with a self-developed critical payload aboard Chang'e-6^※ (per PolyU press releases).

# 3.3 World-Class Recognition: The IAF World Space Award

According to PolyU press releases, the Chang'e-6 team (led by CNSA) was awarded the 2025 "World Space Award" by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) for the far-side sampling achievement, presented on 3 October 2025 at the 76th International Astronautical Congress in Sydney^※; the Surface Sampling and Packing System developed by PolyU represents the Hong Kong contribution to this (per PolyU press releases). At the same congress, PolyU also became the first higher education institution in China and East Asia to receive the IAF "Excellence in 3G+ Diversity Award"^※ (per PolyU press releases).

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# IV. Mars Landing Surveillance Camera — Tianwen-1

# 4.1 The Mars Camera

The nation's first independent Mars exploration mission, Tianwen-1, was launched from Wenchang on 23 July 2020; the lander and the "Zhurong" rover touched down in the southern part of Utopia Planitia, Mars, on 15 May 2021^※, marking China's first landing on a planet beyond Earth (per PolyU press releases, Xinhua).

According to PolyU press releases, Professor Yung Kai-leung's team was invited by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) to develop the "Mars Landing Surveillance Camera", mounted on the exterior top of the landing platform^※, used for monitoring the landing status, the surrounding environment, and the deployment state of the "Zhurong" rover relative to its solar panels and antenna (per PolyU press releases).

Mars Landing Surveillance Camera Specifications (per PolyU press releases):

# 4.2 Professor Wu Bo's Team: Mars Landing Site Selection

The other main PolyU contribution to Tianwen-1 was landing site selection. According to PolyU press releases, the team led by Professor Wu Bo from the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics conducted global-scale Mars terrain analysis and assessment from 2017 to 2020, shortlisted three candidate landing sites, and ultimately selected one in the southern part of Utopia Planitia as the target^※; using artificial intelligence technology, the team analysed over 670,000 impact craters, more than 2 million rocks, and hundreds of volcanic cones, achieving an accuracy rate of about 85%^※ (per PolyU press releases).

Professor Wu's team's methodology had already proven effective during Chang'e-4: according to public academic and institutional materials, his team produced a high-precision terrain model for the Chang'e-4 landing area (around the Von Kármán crater) — by integrating Chang'e-2 imagery with data from the US Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's (LRO) Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), they generated a digital terrain model of the Von Kármán crater at a spatial resolution of approximately 30 metres^※ (per a Science China Information Sciences paper), providing topographic support for the far-side landing.

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# V. The Yung Kai-leung Team's Broader Space Instrument Pedigree

The aerospace track record of Professor Yung Kai-leung's team did not begin with the Chang'e programme. According to PolyU scholar pages and RCDSE materials, the team had previously developed instruments for multiple domestic and international deep-space missions:

According to PolyU scholar pages, Professor Yung Kai-leung is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Science and a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, and serves as a member of the expert groups for the third phase of the National Lunar Exploration Programme and the Mars Sample Return mission^※, and has been awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS) (per PolyU scholar pages).

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# VI. The Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) and Recent Extensions

The instrument development described above is now unified under the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), directed by Professor Yung Kai-leung; the centre operates under PolyU's PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) framework (for institutional history, see institutes-and-labs.md).

PolyU's aerospace research has continued to expand in recent years: according to PolyU and media reports, PolyU has conducted Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in-orbit material experiments — its first in-orbit material experiment testbed completed catalyst material experiments in LEO^※ (per EurekAlert), and has extended its capabilities into areas such as planetary remote sensing, spacecraft firefighting, advanced spacesuit design, and AI-driven satellite image positioning (per PolyU press releases). As for positioning/navigation satellite systems like BeiDou, relevant PolyU departments have academic research output (e.g., studies on BDS code observation characteristics, found in PolyU's institutional repository), which falls under conventional academic research and differs in nature from the "signature instruments flown on missions" discussed above; this article does not amplify them in parallel.

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# Sources

• "PolyU-developed space instruments complete lunar sampling for Chang'e 5", PolyU press release: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/media/media-releases/2020/1208_polyu_space_instruments_complete_lunar_sampling_for_chang_e-5/ (SSPS specs, ~9 years dev, Chang'e-5 soft landing, sampler/camera/sealing system data; official primary, high reliability)
• "PolyU develops and manufactures space instruments for the Nation's Chang'e-6 mission...", PolyU press release: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2024/0607_polyu-develops-and-manufactures-space-instruments-for-the-nations-change-6-mission/ (Chang'e-6 upgraded system, far-side soft landing 3 Jun 2024, Yung full title, only HK university; official primary, high reliability)
• "Chang'e-6 team wins IAF World Space Award with PolyU-developed space payloads...", PolyU press release: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2025/1003_change6-team-wins-iaf-world-space-award-with-polyu-developed-space-payloads/ (Chang'e-6 team 2025 IAF Award, 3 Oct 2025, only HK university payload, Excellence in 3G+ Diversity Award; official primary, high reliability)
• "PolyU contributes to the Nation's first Mars mission with multidisciplinary research", PolyU press release: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/media/media-releases/2021/0521_polyu-contributes-to-the-nations-first-mars-mission-with-multidisciplinary-research/ (Mars camera specs, Wu Bo site selection, Tianwen-1 dates; official primary, high reliability)
• "A new chapter in lunar exploration", PolyU Milestones (CPA): https://www.polyu.edu.hk/cpa/milestones/en/201903/cover_story/a_new_chapter_in_lunar_exploration/index.html (CPS specs, Chang'e-3/4 dates, CAST collaboration; official, high reliability)
• "Award-winning Project by RCDSE: Camera Pointing System...", PolyU RCDSE: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/deepspaceex/news-and-events/news/2022/20220401-geneva-rcdse/?sc_lang=en (CPS function, Geneva award, Yung; official, high reliability)
• "Ir Professor YUNG Kai-leung, BBS", PolyU Scholar Page: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/academicians/our-academicians/yung-kai-leung/ (Yung instrument pedigree, fellowships, expert group member; official, high reliability)
• "Landing site topographic mapping and rover localization for Chang'e-4 mission", Science China Information Sciences (Springer): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11432-019-2796-1 (Wu Bo Chang'e-4 Von Kármán DTM; academic, high reliability)
• "PolyU's first in-orbit material experiment testbed...", EurekAlert!: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065978 (PolyU in-orbit material experiment; news relay, moderate reliability)
• "Hong Kong researchers contribute to Tianwen-1 Mars probe", Xinhua: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-05/21/c_139961222.htm (Independent corroboration of Tianwen-1 landing and HK contribution; news, moderate reliability)

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# VII. Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1: Does PolyU have plans to independently develop and launch its own satellites?

Based on currently available public information, PolyU has no public plans to independently develop and lead the launch of an orbital satellite. PolyU's model of space participation is "developing key payloads for national/international space missions", rather than whole-spacecraft development. Student CubeSat projects are educational in nature, mainly participating in joint projects. Specific plans are subject to official PolyU announcements.

Q2: What does the "6,200G impact force" for the Tianwen-1 Mars Landing Surveillance Camera mean?

1G equals the acceleration due to gravity on Earth's surface (approx. 9.8 m/s²). An impact force of about 6,200G at landing^※ means the instrument had to withstand an instantaneous acceleration of roughly 60,760 m/s² — a force equivalent to about 6,200 times its own weight. This is why space instruments must undergo rigorous "space-qualification tests" (including vibration and thermal vacuum tests) before they can fly. The PolyU team designed a specialised impact-resistant structure for the Mars Landing Surveillance Camera, allowing it to image normally after the landing shock.

Q3: What was the "Space Holinser Forceps" (1994) developed by Professor Yung Kai-leung's team?

According to the PolyU scholar page, Professor Yung's team developed the "Space Holinser Forceps" in 1994 for the Russian MIR Space Station — a precision gripping tool intended for use by astronauts inside the module. This marks the earliest record of PolyU's participation in space instrument development, over 30 years ago. This early work established the technical accumulation in precision space mechanisms that laid the groundwork for the team's subsequent participation in the Chang'e and Tianwen programmes.

Q4: What is PolyU's role in the future International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)?

The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) is a China- and Russia-led initiative to build a lunar research base, targeting the Moon's south pole for a long-term crewed station, with the first phase expected to commence in the 2030s. According to public reports, PolyU's instrument development capabilities have been listed as a candidate for supporting technologies that could participate in the ILRS. However, specific mission assignments must await formal CNSA contracts; this site does not pre-emptively confirm them.

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# VIII. Data Notes

This file is an AI-assisted, integrated information document. All instrument specifications (mass, temperature, impact force, etc.) are based on official PolyU press releases. Mission dates are based on PolyU press releases and CNSA announcements. Statements on participation in future missions are speculative in nature; official announcements are the final authority. The date for Chang'e-6's soft landing on the lunar far side in June 2024 appears as both "2 June" and "3 June" in different press releases; the final CNSA-confirmed date is definitive.

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