"You can fly into space like Chang'e": mainland scientist cheers HK students on

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The mainland top space scientists have met more younger fans in Hong Kong on Friday as they continued their visits to schools and interacted with students.

"You can fly into space like Chang'e," Long Lehao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and chief designer of Long March rockets, told a sixth grader during his visit to Pui Kiu College, a primary and secondary school in Hong Kong.

Chang'e, a well-known character in Chinese mythology, flies to the moon after taking an elixir, where she became a goddess accompanied by a jade rabbit. China's lunar exploration program is named after the "Moon Lady."

Jiang Xinhe, the sixth grader who dreamed of becoming an astronaut, was excited at the warm words of encouragement from Long, calling the 83-year-old scientist "grandpa" as Chinese children often do to show their respect when referring to a senior male.

"I used to think it was difficult to be an astronaut. I saw space training in movies and I didn't think I had any chance," she said.

"But grandpa Long really cheered me on and I still have the chance to become an astronaut. I will study hard and see if I can really go to the moon one day, like a real Chang'e."

Jiang and her classmates showed Long four space-themed exhibition boards made by themselves.

Students designed and drawn the boards carefully after watching many space films, which reflected their wishes and the life scene of astronauts in imagination, she said.

Mainland space scientists visited campuses of several schools on Friday morning to meet students there, all getting warm welcomes.

In the assembly hall of Queen's College, Qi Faren, a CAE academician and former chief designer for Shenzhou spaceships, was greeted by tumultuous applause lasting for over a minute. The place was packed by hundreds of students and faculties and many more listened to Qi's lecture online.

The school was presented with a scale model of Chang'e-5 lunar probe, commemorative stamps and souvenir covers as gifts.

Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, also received the warm welcome of celebrities during her visit to St. Teresa Secondary School. The scientist signed her autograph for fans there and sang the national anthem with them.

Friday's events were part of a series of activities starting Wednesday where top space scientists of the country went to Hong Kong universities and middle schools to give lectures and meet students, as well as witness the inauguration of a lunar soil exhibition slated for Saturday.