Tech minister Sun Dong says Multi?Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory has ‘successfully captured images with good clarity’

Hong Kong-developed ‘Eye for Space’ now operating aboard Tiangong space station

Hong Kong’s astronaut to gather data using observatory developed by local teams

Hongkongers to get chance to talk to city’s first astronaut in next 2 months

Leopold Chen

Published: 7:22pm, 22 Aug 2026

A greenhouse gas monitoring instrument developed by a university in Hong Kong is operating successfully aboard Tiangong space station and is expected to contribute to sustainable development, the city’s technology minister has said.

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industries Sun Dong also revealed more details on Saturday about the life of the city’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, who he said had a tight schedule at the space station.

In his web blog, Sun said the Multi?Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO), developed by a team led by scientists at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and funded by the city government, had been deployed to China’s Tiangong space station.

“The four sensors of MUSICO to detect carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen and aerosol had successfully captured images with good clarity and were functioning well,” he said.

“The device will provide automatic, controllable and highly accurate greenhouse gas – carbon dioxide and methane – emission monitoring data in the coming two years or even longer, contributing to the world’s response to climate change and sustainable development.”

MUSICO is considered the world’s first lightweight, high-resolution, high-precision synergistic observatory for the two gases.

While the instrument’s size is smaller than a domestic washing machine, it can accurately detect individual greenhouse gas emission sources on Earth, according to the university.

Hong Kong’s Lai Ka-ying is the payload specialist on the mission. Photo: Handout

Five other projects, led by scholars from Polytechnic University, University of Hong Kong, City University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, have received funding from the special call of aerospace technology under the government’s Innovation and Technology Support Programme, Sun said.

Sun also revealed that Lai, who has been working at the space station for around three months, had completed a series of experiments and scientific studies with her teammates.

“Other than that, she has to undertake [tasks] including daily space station maintenance, health management, first aid, emergency drills and so on. I believe she has a tight schedule there,” he said.

He added that the government had brought nearly 400 local students to visit mainland China’s aerospace research bases during the summer holiday, looking to cultivate their interests in the area.

“I hope more young people in Hong Kong can take Lai as a role model, bearing great prospects and sailing further in their dreams of technological innovation,” he said.

Leopold Chen

Leopold holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong