On Sunday, May 24, 2026, a Long March 2F rocket launched from the Gobi Desert in northwestern China. Aboard was Lai Ka-ying, who became the first person from Hong Kong to travel to space. Lai had previously worked as an officer in the Hong Kong Police Force before joining China's space program.
The Shenzhou 23 spacecraft carried three astronauts to China's Tiangong space station. Lai serves as the mission's payload specialist and is China's fourth woman to reach orbit. The mission commander, Zhu Yangzhu, had flown before in 2023, while pilot Zhang Zhiyuan was making his first space journey.
One crew member will stay on Tiangong for approximately one year, which would be the longest single spaceflight China has ever attempted. This mission aims to explore how humans adapt to long-duration spaceflight, testing effects on bone density, muscles, and the cardiovascular system.
The Shenzhou 23 crew docked with Tiangong on May 25 and will conduct over 100 science projects. Later in 2026, a Pakistani astronaut will visit the station aboard Shenzhou 24, becoming the first foreign national to visit Tiangong. This represents Beijing's effort to present its space station as a platform for international cooperation.
Lai Ka-ying's historic mission marks an important moment for Hong Kong and demonstrates the city's growing role in China's ambitious space program.