Hong Kong’s first astronaut Lai Ka-ying to give live lecture from space

Hong Kong's inaugural astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, along with her two fellow crew members of the Shenzhou-23 mission, will conduct a live lecture from space for students and educators in the city and Macau. The Hong Kong and Macau governments, in collaboration with the China Manned Space Agency, have announced arrangements for the "Tiangong Class" live broadcasts, though the specific date and time have not been disclosed.

The event, jointly organized by the local governments and the space agency, encompasses an expert lecture, an in-orbit demonstration, and a question-and-answer session, all aimed at illustrating the space environment.

To facilitate participation, Hong Kong's Education Bureau will ensure that primary and secondary school teachers and students can watch the live broadcast on their respective campuses on the day of the event. A delegation from Macau will also travel to Hong Kong to attend the "Tiangong Class". Furthermore, a live online broadcast will be made available on the Information Services Department's website, Facebook page, and through local television stations.

According to a spokesperson, this activity will serve as a valuable aerospace science education initiative, enabling students to witness live demonstrations of experiments performed in the unique conditions of space. The objective is to enhance their understanding of aerospace science and pique their interest in learning. Moreover, students will have the opportunity to learn from the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 crew, who are currently engaged in a manned space mission aboard the Tiangong Space Station.

This exposure is expected to inspire students, encouraging them to pursue daring exploration, cultivate patriotism, and strengthen their national identity.

The space mission led by Lai embarked in May. At 43 years old, Lai is a former police superintendent and a mother of three, appointed as the payload specialist for the mission. While one crew member will remain in orbit for a year to investigate the long-term effects on astronaut health and improve in-orbit medical support, the other two, including Lai, are scheduled to return to Earth in November.