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Best wishes to Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong’s first astronaut who launched into space on the Shenzhou-23 crewed flight to the Tiangong space station on Sunday, marking a historic milestone for our city.
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A payload specialist by profession, Lai completed intensive training over nearly two years before she was selected to be part of the Shenzhou-23 flight, where she will be responsible for managing scientific experiments and complex equipment in orbit.
An ordinary Hong Kong mother
Beyond her extraordinary achievements, Lai is just an ordinary Hongkonger. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Tsuen Wan, the 43-year-old mother of three earned a doctorate from the University of Hong Kong.
Before she became an astronaut, she served as a superintendent in the Hong Kong Police Force, specializing in digital forensics and cybersecurity.
Her decision to join the Chinese space agency’s first-ever recruitment of payload specialists from Hong Kong and Macau in 2022 changed her life forever. Out of roughly 120 candidates, she was selected to join the astronaut team, becoming the fourth Chinese woman to be included in a crewed space mission.
Lai’s story is truly inspiring – from watching on the sidelines when Yang Liwei became the first Chinese astronaut in space in 2003 to becoming part of the history herself – her journey shows how Hong Kong has benefited from the vast opportunities arising from the country’s rapid development in all areas since its return to the motherland.
China is the third country to send people to space using its own rockets and spacecraft, following the Soviet Union and the United States. With Lai’s mission, Hong Kong has become the 56th country or region to have its citizen travel into space.
Next stop: the moon
China has accelerated its space program in recent years, becoming a dominant force in orbital research and lunar exploration.
The China Manned Space Agency is now actively planning to land astronauts on the moon using the next-generation crewed Mengzhou spacecraft by 2030.
It has been over 53 years since the last person landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the lunar surface in 1969, is still remembered for his famous quote: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Lai Ka-ying’s journey has made the “space dream” a reality for many people in Hong Kong who once dreamed of becoming an astronaut.
One can now hope that more Hongkongers will follow in Lai’s footsteps, and perhaps even setting foot on the moon one day.
Her inspiring story has undoubtedly become a beacon to inspire the next generation of Hongkongers to pursue careers in science and aerospace – proving that even the sky is not the limit.
Thanks to the country’s space accomplishments, Lai’s space journey will also forge a stronger sense for Hong Kong people to recognize their shared destiny with their Chinese motherland.
