Late on May 24, 2026, Shenzhou-23 lifted off into space, marking another milestone for China’s space programme, and a historic moment for Hong Kong.

Among the crew was Hong Kong’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying. But her journey to space began long before the launchpad.

In 2003, when China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei travelled into space, a young Lai Ka-ying watched along on the television with her family. One sentence stayed with her forever: 

“How high our Chinese spacecraft flies, that’s how high we Chinese can hold our heads. The remark was quite touching. It brought tears to my eyes. At the time, I had a strong feeling about the strength of our nation.”

That dream followed her through years of hard work, from earning a PhD in computer science at the University of Hong Kong, to enduring the demanding training of the police force.

Her family says perseverance was always a part of her DNA. Her father taught his daughters to help others, work hard, and to never fear hardship.

In 2022, China launched its fourth round of astronaut selections, including for the first time, payload specialists from Hong Kong and Macau. Out of 120 candidates from Hong Kong, Lai Ka-ying was chosen. Officially selected in 2024, she became Hong Kong’s first astronaut.

But Lai says she was never a so-called genius.  

“I was not a bright student. I remember I almost had to repeat Primary Three. When I grew older, I developed an interest in computer science.” 

Lai also suffers from motion sickness, making her an even more unlikely choice.

“I held a ‘let’s give it a try’ attitude, I am prone to getting carsick and seasick. But when I sat in the rotating chair, I easily passed the test.”

One of her toughest challenges came during astronaut training, which included a 48-hour desert exercise done in extreme heat.

“I am one of those who cannot stand hot weather. It was very uncomfortable working under melting sunshine, I think we can overcome any difficulties if we work as a team.”