"Tiangong Class" Livestreams at Hong Kong's First Astronaut's Alma Mater: A Pride Moment for Teachers and Students

The "Tiangong Class" Hong Kong and Macao Designated Session space lecture was officially held on Wednesday morning (September 9). The Shenzhou-23 crew, including Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong's first astronaut, transformed into space teachers, delivering expert explanations to students from Hong Kong and Macao, conducting live science demonstrations, and engaging in interactive dialogue with students on the ground.

The "Tiangong Class" Hong Kong and Macao Designated Session space lecture was officially held on Wednesday morning (September 9). Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The "Tiangong Class" Hong Kong and Macao Designated Session space lecture was officially held on Wednesday morning (September 9). Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The lecture was also livestreamed at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College, Lai Ka-ying's alma mater.

From left to right: Mr. Johnny Sze, Vice President of the Hong Kong United Youth Association, Ms. Chan Kit-chee, a teacher at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College, Chen King-lam, a Form 5 student at Sheng Kung Hui Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School, Chan Tsz-ki, a Form 6 student at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College, Cheong Weng-man, a Form 5 student from Sacred Heart Canossian College (English Section) in Macao, Hung Yu-hei, a Form 6 student from Hou Kong Middle School in Macao, Ms. Ng Fan-lam, a teacher from Keang Peng School in Macao. Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Chan Kit-chee, a teacher at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College, expressed great gratification at witnessing her former student pursue her dream and successfully reach space. She said this achievement not only brings honour to Hong Kong, but also represents a contribution to the nation and society, and expressed hope that Lai would continue to excel in the aerospace industry.

Chan revealed that Lai enrolled at the school in 1994, and Chan herself was Lai’s class teacher for Form 2 and Form 3, teaching English. She noted that Lai’s background is similar to that of current students at the alma mater, having grown up in the same environment and under the guidance of the same teachers, making her a more relatable role model. Chan stressed that students do not necessarily need to set space development as a personal goal from the very beginning; rather, at the secondary school stage, they should build a solid foundation in mathematics and science and accumulate knowledge, to have more choices when pursuing further studies or entering the workforce. She encouraged students to follow Lai’s example and bravely pursue their dreams.

Ms. Chan Kit-chee, a teacher at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College (second from left), expressed great gratification at witnessing her former student pursue her dream and successfully reach space. Photo by Bastille Post

“In my memory, Ka-ying has always been a little girl,” Chan recalled. She remembered Lai as a lively, cheerful student during her secondary school years (Form 2 to Form 5), and found it both wonderful and gratifying to see her former student transform into a national aerospace figure and contributor. She noted that every time Lai appeared on screen, it reminded her of what Lai looked like as a student.

Mr. Johnny Sze, Vice President of the Hong Kong United Youth Association, who participated in the "Tiangong Class," said he felt deeply honoured and believed the lecture had ignited students’ aerospace dreams. He reflected on China's journey from its first satellite to having astronauts conducting experiments aboard the Tiangong space station, noting that it is now a truly honourable historic moment for Hong Kong and Macao to participate in the nation’s space experiments.

From left to right: Chan Tsz-ki, Ms. Chan Kit-chee, Chen King-lam, Photo by Bastille Post

Chan Tsz-ki, a Form 6 student at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College, said that as a junior schoolmate of Lai Ka-ying, she felt excited and proud to participate in the lecture. She was particularly inspired by Lai’s achievement and aspired to follow in her footsteps and contribute to the nation in the future. She also mentioned that Lai shared her space diet during the lecture, which made her feel a special connection. Knowing that Lai once studied and grew up on the same campus, she too would treat the campus as the starting point of her dreams.

Chen King-lam, a Form 5 student at Sheng Kung Hui Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School, described the "Tiangong Class" as tremendously inspiring. Being able to have a real-time dialogue with astronauts and see the advanced technological equipment inside the space station filled him with pride in the nation’s aerospace achievements and sparked his interest in scientific exploration. He expressed hope to join the national aerospace research team in the future. When asked about his thoughts on pursuing a career in aerospace, Chen said that after witnessing water droplets forming perfect spheres in a microgravity environment, he developed a strong interest in the underlying physics principles. As a Form 5 student studying mathematics and science, he hopes to further his studies and one day join the aerospace research team.

Chen King-lam, a Form 5 student at Sheng Kung Hui Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School (third from left), described the "Tiangong Class" as tremendously inspiring. Photo by Bastille Post

Hung Yu-hei, a Form 6 student from Hou Kong Middle School in Macao, said he felt excited and delighted. He believed the lecture transformed physics and chemistry theories found in textbooks, such as recycled water technology, into tangible aerospace applications. He felt proud of Lai Ka-ying’s participation and expressed hope that Macao would one day have its own astronauts in space.

Cheong Weng-man, a Form 5 student from Sacred Heart Canossian College (English Section) in Macao, said she felt deeply honoured to take part in the space-to-Earth dialogue. She found the three astronauts’ lively and engaging presentations sparked her curiosity about science, while also reflecting the close connection between Hong Kong, Macao and national development, strengthening her sense of national pride and identity.

From left to right: Hung Yu-hei, Cheong Weng-man, Ms. Ng Fan-lam, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Ng Fan-lam, a teacher from Keang Peng School in Macao, said she was very pleased to bring her students to personally participate in the "Tiangong Class." She noted that the lecture demonstrated space experiments impossible to replicate on the ground, as well as the current state of China’s aerospace development. She hoped students would gain an understanding of the nation’s aerospace endeavours and, after equipping themselves with the necessary knowledge, seize opportunities to join the field.

Lingnan University congratulates Hong Kong SAR astronaut Lai Ka-ying who has been chosen for the nation’s next space mission, where she will probably operate the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO), a space-based research instrument led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Prof Li Jia, Director of the Lingnan University Shenzhen Research Institute (LUSZRI), and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of the Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies (WJYSIS) at Lingnan University, together with her research team, contributed key data from a carbon emissions source database for the project, which will be used to compare greenhouse gas data including carbon dioxide and methane emission sources observed by MUSICO, helping researchers identify emission intensity and distribution patterns of power and industrial facilities across different regions more accurately, thereby providing robust scientific support for China’s carbon-peaking and carbon-neutrality goals.

Prof Li said that currently many satellite monitoring systems worldwide focus mainly on greenhouse gas emissions at the regional level, and identifying carbon emissions from a single large stationary emission source from space remains challenging as relying on the high-sensitivity MUSICO instrument also depends greatly on long-term, ground-based carbon emissions data for comparison.

Prof Li Jia (right), Prof Su Hui (middle), and Dr Wang Fan (left) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.

Prof Li said “Our database covers more than half of China’s carbon dioxide emission sources, and records emission volumes from different regions and industrial facilities. It is resolved down to the level of total emissions per square kilometre, with precise geographic coordinates, and functions much like a map and a navigation system, helping MUSICO identify the specific locations, intensities, and operational patterns of emission sources in space. This enables the instrument to observe the large-scale distribution of greenhouse gas concentrations, and also to analyse emissions from individual factories or facilities with greater precision, thereby increasing the accuracy and scientific value of space-based observation data.”

Prof Li continued “As an international financial centre, the Hong Kong SAR is well positioned to use Lingnan’s empirical data to advance the development of the green economy. In future, the database may be applied to carbon emissions verification, emissions reduction assessment, and urban low-carbon management, providing scientific support for low-carbon transformation in the Greater Bay Area and across China.”

For several years now, Prof Li Jia’s team has carried out extensive research on industrial carbon emissions in China, and participated in core national carbon neutrality projects, compiling inventories covering major high-emission industries, such as power generation, cement, steel, chemicals and electrolytic aluminium.

Over the past 20 years, Prof Li’s team has carried out continuous research on carbon emissions from the power and industrial sectors in China and Southeast Asian countries. The team has participated in and led carbon capture and storage planning projects in six Asian countries, and developed emissions inventories covering China’s major high-emission industries, including power generation, cement, steel, chemicals, and electrolytic aluminium. This is consistent with the analysis of individual emission sources such as ground-based power plants and oilfields, and helps verify whether observed measurements reflect normal fluctuations or abnormal emissions.

Between 2022 and 2025, Prof Li’s team collaborated with Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP) under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and took part in a first-batch key research project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, which expanded the database to cover additional major emission sectors.

From left: Hong Kong SAR astronaut Lai Ka-ying, Prof Li Jia.

Prof Li Jia said that the opportunity to participate in space monitoring-related scientific research collaboration on behalf of Lingnan University was made possible by WJYSIS’ continued encouragement of cross-disciplinary integration, fostering collaborative research in environmental science, data analytics, and artificial intelligence; also, while the Chinese Mainland has taken a leading position in large-scale carbon capture and emissions reduction technologies, the Hong Kong SAR has many advantages in international academic networks and well-established research collaboration platforms, which promote scientific exchange, research related to sustainable development, and collaboration between China and the international community.

Council members of Lingnan University visit the Lingnan University Shenzhen Research Institute (LUSZRI).

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, said that in recent years, Lingnan University has actively promoted its Liberal Arts + Technology development strategy, encouraging faculty and students to conduct interdisciplinary research that addresses real-world issues. Lingnan researchers’ involvement in national space and carbon monitoring projects shows the University’s strong foundation in inter-university and interdisciplinary collaboration, and highlights its academic contributions to public development in environmental science, data analytics, and low-carbon research.

The MUSICO research project is co-led by Prof Su Hui, Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Global STEM Professor at HKUST, and Prof Zhang Limin, Chair Professor and Head of the same department. Prof Zhai Chengxing, Associate Professor of the Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas is the mission system engineer, and other team members are Senior Scientific Officer Dr Rong Pingping, Assistant Professor Zhang Jize, and Associate Professor Wang Zhe from HKUST’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Professor Ning Zhi, Associate Professors Shi Xiaoming, and Gu Dasa from the Division of Environment and Sustainability; Associate Professor Ma Xiaojuan from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; Professor Zhu Pengyu from the Division of Public Policy; Professor Gao Meng from Hong Kong Baptist University; and Associate Professor Li Jia from Lingnan University.