Shenzhou XXIII takes off with first HK astronaut
China launched the Shenzhou XXIII mission on May 24, sending three astronauts, including Hong Kong’s first astronaut Lai Ka-ying, to the Tiangong space station for a yearlong stay. Lai, a civilian police officer, became the first female civilian astronaut from China and the first from Hong Kong to reach orbit after completing rigorous training.
China successfully launched the Shenzhou XXIII manned mission on May 24, sending three astronauts to the Tiangong space station. The crew includes mission commander Colonel Zhu Yangzhu, Colonel Zhang Zhiyuan, and Lai Ka-ying, a Hong Kong Police Force superintendent and science payload specialist. Lai is the first civilian astronaut from China and the first from Hong Kong to travel to space. The launch took place at 11:08 pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia, using a Long March 2F rocket. The Shenzhou XXIII spacecraft separated from the rocket and docked with the Tianhe core module of Tiangong, where it will meet the Shenzhou XXI crew, who have been in space for nearly seven months. Lai, selected from China’s fourth batch of astronauts in June 2024, completed over 200 training subjects and 1,700 training hours. She is the first astronaut from Hong Kong and the first police officer globally to journey into space. A Hong Kong delegation, led by Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong, attended the launch ceremony. The Shenzhou XXIII crew will operate and maintain the Tiangong space station, conduct scientific experiments, and perform technological tests. Lai’s participation marks a historic milestone for Hong Kong’s involvement in China’s space program, following the inclusion of candidates from Hong Kong and Macao in the astronaut selection process launched in 2022.
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