An atmosphere of celebration spread across Hong Kong late Sunday as residents watched the launch of the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft carrying 43-year-old Lai, the city’s first astronaut and China’s first female payload specialist. The spacecraft lifted off at 11:08 p.m. from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Lai traveled alongside Zhu Yangzhu, a 39-year-old space engineer, and Zhang Zhiyuan, a 39-year-old former air force pilot. The spacecraft docked with the Tiangong space station about 3.5 hours later, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing the China Manned Space Agency.

The crew is expected to conduct scientific research in life sciences, materials science, fluid physics and medicine. One of the mission’s key goals is to study the effects of long-term space travel by keeping one astronaut in orbit for up to a year. According to CCTV’s livestream, Lai, who holds a doctorate in computer science from The University of Hong Kong, said her first words after entering orbit were: "feeling good".

"None of us expected that someone from an information and technology background could actually go to space – she has given us all hope," Joe Kong Yu-cho, a retired computer forensic scientist who first met Lai in 2012 while working on a research team, told the South China Morning Post.

Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong’s first astronaut. Photo courtesy of China Manned Space Agency.

From computer science doctorate to astronaut

Lai was born in November 1982 and grew up in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong’s New Territories. Her parents had moved to Hong Kong from Guangdong province in southern China before she was born.

She enrolled at HKU in 2001 to study computer science and information systems. At age 21, she first learned about China’s manned space program. "My parents hail from the mainland and have profound affection for the motherland. So the whole family was filled with excitement while watching the footage together back then," Lai told China Daily.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in 2004, she continued postgraduate studies at the same university and received a doctorate in computer science in 2011. A year later, she joined the Hong Kong Police Force after learning that its Technical Services Division was recruiting specialists.

She said investment banks had offered high-paying jobs because of her computing and data analysis background, but she chose public service instead. "But I intended to use my expertise to serve the public, so I decided to pursue a career as a public servant," she said. "My research specialty was computer forensics, and I thought working in the police force would be fascinating."

She later worked in electronic forensics and cybersecurity and gradually rose through the ranks to superintendent. Her path changed again in 2022 when China began recruiting its fourth group of astronauts. For the first time, residents from Hong Kong and Macao were allowed to apply as payload specialists.

"When I saw the recruitment notice for payload specialists, I thought it was a rare opportunity. Why not give it a try?"

Around 120 Hongkongers applied, and 80 advanced to the shortlist. Applicants came from fields including medicine, engineering, physics, chemistry, psychology and astronomy. Lai was selected in May 2024. John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, described her appointment as a "glorious moment" for the city.

Her training matched that of other astronauts and included learning to communicate fluently in Mandarin, a challenge for the native Cantonese speaker. She also struggled with training in pressurized spacesuits because of her small frame. Standing 1.61 meters tall, she found even the smallest suit difficult to operate during physically demanding exercises.

"I used to strain myself greatly and break into a sweat every time I connected pipelines inside the spacecraft," she said adding that her performance improved only after receiving additional guidance from an experienced astronaut.

Over two years, Lai completed demanding exercises including 72-hour sleep deprivation tests, desert survival training and six-day cave escape drills. Although her academic background was not directly related to aerospace engineering, Chow Kam-pui, an honorary associate professor at HKU who supervised her postgraduate studies, said her analytical skills and patience made her highly suited for the role.

"I am confident that when she participates in space missions or experiments, the chances of her making mistakes are low," Chow said.

Zhang Xiang, president of HKU, said Lai’s achievement was a proud moment for both the university and the city. "We hope Lai's mission inspires a new generation of Hong Kong scientists to reach for the stars and contribute to our nation's glorious space odyssey," he said in a statement.

Astronauts for China's Shenzhou-23 space mission Lai Ka-ying (L), Zhu Yangzhu (C) and Zhang Zhiyuan (R) wave during a press conference before the launch of the mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert in Jiuquan, in northwestern China's Gansu province on May 23, 2026. Photo from AFP

Far from home

As a payload specialist, Lai will spend six months aboard Tiangong helping conduct more than 100 scientific experiments, including biomedical studies involving mice and artificial embryos, materials testing and research into new energy storage systems.

Her mission could last as long as a year, as China plans to keep one astronaut in orbit for an extended stay. The astronaut selected for the year-long mission will be chosen during the voyage based on medical and psychological assessments.

Richard de Grijs, an astrophysicist and professor at Macquarie University in Australia, said long-term space missions present multiple challenges, including bone density loss, muscle deterioration, radiation exposure, sleep disruption and psychological fatigue, according to AFP. He also stressed the importance of reliable air and water recycling systems and the ability to respond to medical emergencies far from Earth.

Lai, who will celebrate her birthday in space this November, said she plans to carry hand-drawn artworks from her husband and children during the mission. "I have never been away from home for so long. All I hope is to accomplish my mission successfully and reunite with my loved ones soon," she said.

Her husband paused his own career progression to support her training. He moved to Beijing with their two daughters and son and became the children’s primary caregiver while she underwent intensive preparation. Because of her demanding schedule, she could spend only occasional weekends with her family. After relocating to Beijing, the children visited the Palace Museum and climbed the Great Wall, experiences she said she has not yet had herself.

"I have not had the chance to see these sights myself," she said. "Once my mission ends, I hope to travel across the country and see all the stunning landscapes of our motherland."