Watching Hong Kong’s first astronaut Lai Ka-ying launch into space felt like a dream come true for 16-year-old Valerie Chiu Wing-yee.
The teen was captivated by the historic moment on Sunday night when Lai lifted off as the only woman on the Shenzhou-23 mission.
“It gives Hong Kong people a great sense of pride because it shows that travelling to space is not limited by gender or [where you are from],” said Valerie, who is a Form Four student at St Mary’s Canossian College.
“I believe her story can inspire youths who originally questioned their own abilities to take action and try, rather than doubting themselves. There is always a chance that they can excel in a specific field.”
Valerie added that Lai’s journey was a powerful reminder to step out of one’s comfort zone.
“Her transition from a background in computer science and digital forensics to becoming Hong Kong’s first female astronaut shows that we should not stop pursuing new opportunities, even if they involve fields we aren’t used to,” she shared.
“Hearing her story has truly deepened my curiosity and fuelled my passion for science as an interconnected field.”
Breaking stereotypes
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lai is the fourth Chinese woman to travel to space and the country’s first female payload expert.
Her presence on the mission underscores how disciplines such as computing and data analysis have become central to 21st century space exploration.
Selected for training in 2024 as part of China’s fourth batch of astronauts, Lai joined a three-member crew on a mission that took about 3.5 hours to reach the Tiangong space station.
As a payload specialist, she will help conduct more than 100 scientific studies aboard Tiangong, ranging from biomedical experiments on mice and artificial embryos to research on energy storage systems and materials testing.
Valerie noted that Lai’s journey would inspire more teenagers in Hong Kong to pursue STEM fields, a mission that aligns closely with her work as the founder of “Teen Animals Da Scientists”, which collaborates with youth across more than 15 countries to provide science education workshops.
The teen, who was selected last year by Time magazine for its inaugural “Girls of the Year” list, said she believed that Lai’s story could help shatter prevailing gender stereotypes in the field.
“Historically, the majority of astronauts worldwide – not just in China – have been male,” she said.
“Her story proves that even though women are sometimes perceived as physically weaker than men, they can absolutely travel to space and achieve remarkable milestones if they commit to intensive training and show immense determination.”
A ‘historic milestone’ for Hong Kong
Exodus Sit Chun-long, an astronomy educator and popular science author in Hong Kong, called the achievement a “historic milestone crucial for the future”.
The female astronaut’s involvement in the Shenzhou-23 mission sends a strong message to the city’s young people that space is within reach.
“It is an exciting prospect. I can clearly see the potential for the younger generation to contribute,” said Sit, who serves as the chair of the National Astronomy Education Coordinator Team (China, Hong Kong) for the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Education.
“I would strongly encourage students to chase their dreams if they truly love astronomy or astronautics.”
He noted that in the future, local youth would have more opportunities to join field trips to astronautical facilities in mainland China and contribute to the country’s space missions.
“If students equip themselves with advanced skills in sophisticated technologies – such as AI, engineering, robotics or even astronomy, they will have great opportunities to contribute,” he said.
“We can look forward to future Chinese space missions involving advanced space telescopes, remote-controlled Mars robots, lunar rovers and specialised cameras. These tools will allow Chinese scientists to capture images and investigate geological features on the lunar surface.”
Sit added that Hong Kong pupils interested in space could take advantage of last year’s curriculum revamp.
“Local primary and secondary students will benefit from the new science subjects replacing traditional general studies, as these curricula incorporate more elements of astronomy, space science and astronautical information,” he said.
Hope for the next generation
Like many children, university student Brian Au Nap-yan once dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but he eventually shelved that ambition, believing the chances of achieving it from Hong Kong were far too slim.
“[Lai’s achievement] changes everything about what we believe is possible as Hongkongers,” said the 18-year-old, who is studying civil engineering at University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom.
Since Lai did not come from a background traditionally tied to space exploration, Au sees the potential for his studies to intersect with his childhood dream.
“It’s actually very meaningful to me because I have a massive interest in aeronautics through studying fluid mechanics, and I believe that [Lai’s] achievement bridges the two worlds,” Au said.
“I think this broadens the horizon for us.”
Lai’s mission has also stimulated his interest in exploring the unique materials found beyond Earth, as well as conducting experiments under the extreme temperatures and weightless conditions in space.
“Space exploration ... always seemed very far away,” Au said. “But then, when she managed to achieve it, I realised that the aerospace industry and also the space programmes really feel incredibly close and relevant to us now.”
