Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.) got approval to establish the “State Key Laboratory in Lunar and Planetary Science”, which is the second state key laboratory of M.U.S.T. and marks an important milestone of space science development and research in Macau. The successful approval for the state key lab embodies the importance the Central Government attaches to Macau’s development as well as its great support; in particular, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao S.A.R., Macao S.A.R. and the Science and Technology Development Foundation of the Macao S.A.R. (FDCT) have provided tremendous support and guidance for the state key lab.
The Supercomputing Center of the Lunar and Planetary Science Laboratory has the capacity to provide large-scale long-hours supercomputing services
M.U.S.T. started to participate in projects in relation to Chang’e lunar-probing data analysis and research in as early as 2005; ever since, it has ushered in its own history in studies of the relevant field. In 2008, M.U.S.T. and the National Astronomical Observations of the Chinese Academy of Sciences jointly launched a “Co-laboratory in Applied Research of Lunar and Planetary Exploration”. In 2011, the University established the Space Science Institute, and in 2014, gained approval by the Chinese Academy of Sciences to establish the “Partner Laboratory of Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, Chinese Academy of Sciences”, which became the first off-shore partner laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
M.U.S.T. is devoted to training of planetary science professionals. The Laboratory currently houses 5 professors, 2 associate professors, 15 assistant professors, 7 distinguished advisors, 7 distinguished professors, 4 distinguished associate professors, and 13 post-doc research fellows, plus 27 in-study doctoral and master students. The research force of the laboratory has published 141 SCI papers in the recent 5 years, including China’s first paper published in the field of lunar studies, in Science. The SCI papers output of the Laboratory in the solar system research area has climbed to national first in 2016.The “scientific discovery of the Chang’e multi-band lunar-probing data” won the first-class prize at the Macau Natural Science Awards in 2016. In the meantime, M.U.S.T. joined hands with local middle schools and primary schools to develop science-education programs and activities, including the “Science Golden Seed Scheme”, aiming to build a first-hand science exploration platform for Macau students, train prospective young students to team up and take part in research practices, and cultivate in the minds of the youth aspirations for science and science spirit. Two students supervised by the Laboratory won an outstanding award and the first place at the National Top 10 Science and Technology Practice Activities with their “Observations and Analysis of Light Changes at Minor Planets”.
The establishment of the “State Key Laboratory in Lunar and Planetary Science” will provide support for the national “Chang’e Space Project”, including the Laboratory takes “Chang’e Project” as the mainline, based on its own “scientific discovery of the Chang’e multi-band lunar-probing data”, relies on the existing scientific applied experience and achievements of Chang’e 1, 2 and 3, and focuses on research of Chang’e 4 and 5, including studies on lunar surface and lunar environment, analysis of samples returned by Chang’e 5, formulation mechanism of craters and remote sense observations of the lunar surface. In addition, Mars will be another key research focus of the Laboratory, especially in research of the atmosphere, geological landscape, and land surface environment of Mars, aiming to make full preparations for the 2020 Mars Probing Project in terms of scientific application.
The “State Key Laboratory in Lunar and Planetary Science” will elevate Macau’s science and technology stance, making it another eye-catching highlight in Macau’s science and technology innovation cause. It represents the most cutting-edge standard of science and technology, with high potentials in transferal and application of research achievements. It has become a benchmark for extraordinary scholarship, helping to move forward industry-education-research collaborations in high-end new-type industries and enterprises, provide support for Macau to participate in science and technology collaborations with the Greater Bay Area and to construct a new science and technology highland in the region.
