Cabinet nod for joint venture with China on developing hodoscope

The Cabinet on Tuesday gave the greenlight for collaboration with China on research and development of a hodoscope that will help spacecraft explore the environment around the Moon.

Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education will cooperate with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in developing the Moon Aiming Thai-Chinese Hodoscope (MATCH).

Higher Education Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi said the hodoscope, to be developed under the  memorandum of understanding between the ministry and CNSA, will be installed on Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 7.

Under the Chinese project’s International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), the hodoscope will be launched to the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken in 2026.

“This marks the first step for Thai scientists, researchers and engineers from the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) and Mahidol University to take part in a world-class space collaboration project,” she said.

She added that this reflects the ministry’s commitment to develop human resources and Thailand’s knowledge to meet international standards.



Supamas explained that MATCH aims to measure high-energy charged particles and study cosmic rays on the lunar surface. Magnesium alloy has been used for assembling hodoscope for the first time in Thailand, she added.

The hodoscope is currently under assembly and testing for electromagnetic compatibility and model engineering at NARIT’s laboratory, she said.  

She confirmed that the scientific data obtained from this project would be valuable as Thailand has never studied or discovered it before.

All of these are challenges that Thailand should overcome to announce the country’s potential and readiness to be a part of space exploration, she added.

(2025/02/05-00:00)