Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and a crew member of the upcoming Shenzhou-23 manned flight mission, shared how her space dream is finally within reach and spoke eagerly about the journey ahead.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 23:08 Sunday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced at a press conference earlier on Saturday.
Astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai will carry out the mission, with Zhu serving as the commander of the mission, said the CMSA.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lai had worked for the Hong Kong Police Force before being selected as an astronaut. Holding a doctoral degree in computer forensics, Lai will serve as a payload specialist on the upcoming mission.
Becoming an astronaut had always been Lai's dream. She moved one step closer to realizing her dream in 2022, when China's manned space program began recruiting astronauts from the HKSAR and the Macao Special Administrative Region.
"Such a rare opportunity had come, and I had to seize it. So I decided to give it a try. Step by step, I have made my way here. We must work hard and be prepared at any time," said Lai.
Lai applied to become a fourth-batch astronaut candidate. In 2023, she traveled to Beijing, where she underwent a rigorous selection process and finally stood out from about 120 candidates from the HKSAR.
Lai joined the astronaut corps in June 2024. But getting in was only the beginning. Becoming an astronaut means enduring extreme challenges.
"Not long after we arrived, we had to go through a 72-hour no-sleep training. It wasn't too difficult for me, because back in the police force, the job was already very demanding. But the 48-hour desert training was much tougher. I really don't like heat, and working under the scorching sun was especially hard. But I got through it with the help of other team members. We made it together," she said.
After comprehensive and rigorous training, Lai finally earned her place on the Shenzhou-23 mission.
"When it came time to take our formal portraits in April, my feeling was completely different, because we were really about to go to space. It still didn't feel entirely real, but my heart was filled with honor and joy. I couldn't wait to put what I had trained for to use," said Lai.
During the Shenzhou-23 mission, Lai will be mainly responsible for operating space science experiment equipment, particularly the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO).
Developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, MUSICO will be used to monitor atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane concentrations from major emission point sources in low- and mid-latitude regions worldwide.
Speaking of her upcoming journey, Lai is full of anticipation.
"Many people have asked me to take good photos of Hong Kong from space. I will remember that. I've often heard astronauts share what it feels like to be in space. I'm really looking forward to experiencing it for myself. And I will share my feelings with everyone after I come back," said Lai.
HKSAR astronaut shares how space dream comes true, looks forward to Shenzhou-23 mission
