Chen Xi'en stands anxiously outside the simulation capsule of Tiangong-2, the space lab launched last week, waiting to "fly to the moon."

This is the second time in as many days that Chen, 7, has visited the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing.

"He came here yesterday, but wanted another go," said the boy's mother. "He gets really excited when he sees the blue lights through the door."

Beijing is hosting a week-long science exhibition. The annual event has attracted 55 participating organizations from 10 countries, with nearly 300 interactive projects on show.

Aerospace projects are very prominent at the expo.

"Will you be younger than the earth after coming back from space?" a child asked a Russian astronaut, who was delivering a speech at the museum.

"For now, the national space station in orbit runs around the earth at a speed of more than 7,700 meters per second, [so] scenes from the film 'Interstellar' may not happen under such conditions," he said.

Zhu Hengmin, a retired teacher who visited on Monday, said that the enthusiasm surrounding aerospace means the public is more interested in science and technology.

"In the past, science and technology were just for textbooks," Zhu said. "These days the public loves anything high-tech, which will be good for its development."

China has been promoting science and technology in a variety of ways, with a series of national-level exhibitions already held this year and more on the way. The State Council also plans to make Beijing a national technological hub.

"Fanning the passion for science and technology will result in more potential emerging," said Xu Ding'an, an investor in the Internet and technology industry.