Lai Ka-ying became the first astronaut from Hong Kong to fly into space aboard China’s Shenzhou-23 mission, which launched May 24, 2026, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert. She serves as the payload specialist on the mission to dock with the Tiangong space station [1, 2, 3, 4].
Lai, 43, was born and raised in Hong Kong. She holds a doctorate in computer science with a focus on digital forensics and works as a police superintendent [1, 2, 3, 5, 4]. She is also the fourth Chinese woman in space and China’s first female payload specialist [4].
The launch was attended by Hong Kong officials including Secretary for Innovation Sun Dong and Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip, who led a delegation to the send-off ceremony at Jiuquan [3]. Chief Executive John Lee called Lai to congratulate her before the launch and described her selection as historic, saying, "Your participation in this mission shows our country’s recognition of you, as well as our country’s trust and support for Hong Kong" [1, 3, 5].
Lai overcame motion sickness during the demanding astronaut training by sheer determination. She recalled, "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" [6].
Her mentor, Professor Chow Kam-pui, praised Lai’s meticulousness and patience, noting her postgraduate work from 2004 to 2011 in cryptography and digital forensics. He said, "She was extremely meticulous. She would follow through on every single detail as a student" [2].
The launch sent a wave of pride across Hong Kong, where many watched the event and praised Lai as a milestone for the city’s talents [4].
The Shenzhou-23 spacecraft is en route to the Tiangong station, where Lai will carry out her duties as payload specialist during the mission.
