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

Hong Kong's inaugural astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, will be delivering an educational lecture from space to students and teachers in the region and Macau. The Hong Kong and Macau governments, in collaboration with the China Manned Space Agency, have announced plans for the live broadcast, dubbed "Tiangong Class." The event aims to showcase the unique living conditions in space, host an expert lecture, present an in-orbit demonstration, and facilitate a Q&A session.

Hong Kong's Education Bureau will ensure that primary and secondary school teachers and students can watch the live broadcast on campus, while a delegation from Macau will travel to the city to attend the event. A live online broadcast will also be accessible on the Information Services Department's website, Facebook page, and local television stations.

The spokesperson emphasized that the activity would serve as a significant aerospace science education opportunity, enabling students to witness live science experiments in space, augment their knowledge of aerospace science, and foster their interest in learning. Furthermore, students will gain insights from the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 crew, who are currently conducting a manned space mission on the Tiangong Space Station.

This mission, which includes Lai, who is serving as a payload specialist, was launched in May. Lai, a 43-year-old former police superintendent and mother of three, will spend approximately six months in orbit. One crew member will remain for a year to study the long-term effects of space travel on astronaut health and enhance in-orbit medical support, while the other two, including Lai, are scheduled to return in November.