Hong Kong’s first astronaut may have travelled into space, but the significance of the moment extends far beyond the mission itself. Lai Ka-ying became our first home-grown astronaut to reach space, as part of China’s Shenzhou-23 mission to the Tiangong space station, marking a historic milestone for the city and its role within the country’s scientific ambitions. For many, the moment naturally evokes pride and excitement. Yet, beyond science and national achievement, this milestone may also...
If the Ganganyaan mission is successful, India will be only the fourth nation in the world to have shown a capability of doing manned space missions, after the U.S., Russia, and China
Hong Kong could welcome the astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 mission, including the city’s history-making payload specialist, as early as the first half of next year, the technology chief has said. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong also said on Sunday that the government would establish a new space manufacturing research centre under InnoHK by this year, focusing on using 3D printing and artificial intelligence (AI) to support future space development. “I hope that after...
Beijing has hailed the inclusion of Hong Kong’s first astronaut in the Shenzhou-23 mission as the “fruitful result” of the “one country, two systems” framework, while expressing hope that more young people from the city will be inspired to contribute to the country’s technological development. At a press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning described the successful launch of the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft and the arrival of Hong Kong payload specialist Lai...
Leaving her family behind is the toughest part for Hong Kong’s first astronaut as she blasted off on Sunday for her six-month mission, according to her elder sister. Lai Ka-man recalled that when her sister, 43-year-old Hong Kong police superintendent Lai Ka-ying, was selected as a payload specialist in 2024, Ka-ying’s three children were still in primary school. They were now being cared for by both sets of grandparents and other family members. “When I saw my sister recently, I saw in her eyes...
China’s Shenzhou-23 astronauts blast off on space station mission.
Hongkongers gathered to witness the historic launch of the Shenzhou-23 mission hailed the city’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, as an “immense encouragement” as they watched the send-off ceremony for the crew in Jiuquan on Sunday night. Astronauts Lai, Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan were met with cheers at the Wentian Pavilion in China’s Dongfeng Aerospace City in Gansu province before they headed to the launch site in the Gobi Desert. Lai, a 43-year-old police superintendent and a mother of...
Hong Kong’s leader has sent his blessings to the first local astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, in a video call ahead of the launch of the Shenzhou-23 space flight on Sunday, calling her participation in the mission a reflection of the country’s trust and support for the city. Payload specialist Lai, in response, recalled her packed, tough training in Beijing, which had “finally come to an end”, while expressing confidence that she would complete her space mission. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on...
Lai Ka-ying suffers from motion sickness, cannot stand hot weather, was not a top student and did not speak Mandarin – all of which made the 43-year-old mother of three an unlikely pick as Hong Kong’s first astronaut. But the Hong Kong-born payload specialist on China’s Shenzhou-23 mission, which is expected to blast off on Sunday night and head to the Tiangong space station, made it through almost two years of training. “I held a ‘let’s give it a try’ attitude,” Lai said in interviews with...
If you are working on a space station orbiting hundreds of kilometres above the Earth, the woman set to become Hong Kong’s first astronaut when the mission launches this weekend is exactly the type of person you want by your side, according to the professor who supervised her postgraduate studies. Lai Ka-ying was meticulous, patient and a skilled communicator who could break down highly technical ideas for others, Chow Kam-pui, an honorary associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, told...
China and Europe on Tuesday launched their first jointly developed satellite, a space mission that will explore the precise mechanism of the Earth’s defence against solar wind. The successful collaboration on the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) comes as Beijing and Brussels are locked in escalating trade and geopolitical tensions, largely driven by the European Union’s massive trade deficit with China. The satellite has been jointly designed and developed by the Chinese...