Liu Chang, Zhang Lixin, Guo Xin
The first space exploration satellite developed by Macao will be launched the next year, announced the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Science (SKLplanets), Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), ahead of Macao’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of its return to China.
Aiming to measure the geomagnetic field and space environment of the South Atlantic Anomaly and study on dynamo theory, the satellite is expected to uncover the mystery of Bermuda Triangle that has perplexed the world for hundreds of years.
“It just comes too soon, which has gone beyond my imagination,” said Zhang Keke, director of the SKLplanets and chief scientist of this satellite project.
Zhang, a Fellow of American Geophysical Union and the Royal Astronomical Society in the UK, joined the SKLplanets last year. Three months after he went to Macao, he, on behalf of the SKLplanets, proposed to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) to develop a scientific exploration satellite.
“My proposal was supported by the CNSA, and rounds of discussions were held. The plan was approved by experts in Feb. this year, and received assistance from the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) three months later,” introduced Zhang, who has worked in the UK and the US for over three decades.
Astrophysics studies call for extremely high requirements on capital and talents, therefore the development of the satellite wouldn’t have been possible without the firm support from the central government and the government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), or the SKLplanets program.
The SKLplanets is one of the state key laboratories approved by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology in Macao last year. Besides, Macao is also home to the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI and the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City.
These four state key laboratories were all built after Macao’s return to China, serving as a new high ground of the region’s scientific innovation and development.
MUST President Liu Liang noted that scientific innovation barely existed in Macao before its return to China, and it was after the return that the region has seen continuous improvement in this regard under the support of the nation and scientific research institutions from the mainland.
The state key laboratories in Macao carry the expectation of China for Macao’s scientific and technological development, and also symbolize a start of the region’s participation in the national scientific and technological progress.
“Human resources were what Macao needed the most after returning to the motherland,” said Ma Chi Ngai Frederico, President of FDCT’s Administrative Committee. Thanks to the continuous application of policy, law and capital assistance by the government of Macao SAR, batches of science and technology talents were nurtured.
In 2000, the Legislative Assembly of Macao approved the Basic Rules for Policies Regarding Science and Technology, setting the tone for future technological progress of the region. Four years later, the government of Macao SAR instituted the FDCT to assist scientific researches. This year, the organization’s assistance to local scientific studies made a record high of 535 million pataca ($66.4 million).
A 23-year-old Macao resident named Feng Xuejian recently registered an Internet company. He once competed in the WorldSkills Competition as a junior college student on behalf of Macao and won a gold medal in web design – the best performance achieved by Macao over the years.
“People used to say that in Macao, a man could not make a living by his interest, but things are different now as the region is building a better and better environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, where the young generation is able to achieve success through their skills and wisdom,” Feng said.
“A globally influential scientific innovation center will be built in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, where a Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao science and technology innovation corridor will prosper,” said Ma Chi Ngai Frederico, adding that Macao enjoys unique geographical and platform advantages on the west bank of the Pearl River.
Source: People’s Daily Overseas Edition
澳门：小城也有创科梦
刘 畅 章利新 郭 鑫
在澳门回归祖国20周年前夕，澳门科技大学月球与行星科学国家重点实验室宣布，首颗澳门设计的科学卫星将于2020年择机发射。卫星的科学目标是“南大西洋异常区地磁探测与地球液核发电机动力学研究”。这颗探测卫星将有望揭开困扰人类百余年的“百慕大”之谜。
“一切非常快，超出了我能想象的速度！”卫星项目首席科学家、澳科大月球与行星科学国家重点实验室主任张可可教授感慨道。
这位拥有美国地球物理学会会士、英国皇家天文学会会士等头衔的世界级天体物理学“大咖”，去年受聘于该实验室。来到澳门工作的第3个月，张可可代表实验室向国家航天局提出了设计一颗科学探测卫星的构想。
“国家航天局非常支持，进行了多轮方案讨论。今年2月，卫星方案通过了专家评审，5月澳门科学技术发展基金的资助已经到位。”在英美工作了30多年的张可可坦言，天体物理研究对资金和人才要求苛刻，如果没有中央政府和澳门特区政府作为坚强后盾，没有“国家重点实验室”的地位与分量，卫星的研发完全不可能。
该实验室是2018年科技部批准落户澳门的国家重点实验室之一。此外，澳门还拥有“中药质量研究国家重点实验室”、“模拟与混合信号超大规模集成电路国家重点实验室”和“智慧城市物联网国家重点实验室”。这四间国家重点实验室全部是在澳门回归后建设的，成为小城澳门科技创新发展的新高地。
澳门科技大学校长刘良表示，回归之前，人们几乎无法将“科创”与“澳门”建立联系。回归后，在国家和内地科研院所的支持下，澳门科创能力不断提升。国家重点实验室的挂牌，代表了国家对澳门科技发展给予的厚望，也是澳门直接参与国家科技创新的开始。
“澳门回归后最缺的是人才。”澳门科学技术发展基金行政委员会主席马志毅介绍，回归后，特区政府通过一连串的政策、法律乃至经济资助措施，鼓励培养科技人才。
2000年，澳门立法会通过《科学技术纲要法》，指明了日后澳门科技发展的方向。2004年特区政府启动科技发展基金，用以资助科学研究工作。2019年，该基金对澳门本地的科研资助创下历史新高，达到5.35亿澳门元。
23岁的澳门青年冯雪健最近在家乡注册了一家互联网公司。大三时，他作为澳门代表队的成员之一，参加世界职业技能竞赛，为澳门拿下了网页设计项目的最高奖牌，这也是澳门多年来在该赛事中取得的最好成绩。
“以前许多人说，在澳门，一份兴趣是养不活自己的。但是现在不同了，澳门的创新创业环境越来越好，年轻人靠技术、靠头脑也能开创属于自己的新天地。”他说。
“粤港澳大湾区将建设具有全球影响力的国际科技创新中心，未来这个区域内将出现一条‘广深港澳’科技创新走廊。从珠江西岸来讲，澳门有它独特的地理优势和平台优势。”马志毅说。
来源： 人民日报海外版
