Lai Ka-ying

Lai Ka-ying
黎家盈
Lai in 2026
BornNovember 1982 (age 43)
Hong Kong
EducationUniversity of Hong Kong (BSc, MPhil, PhD)
Space career
PLAAC astronaut
Previous occupation
Superintendent, Hong Kong Police Force
StatusActive
Time in space
94 days, 9 hours, 19 minutes
(currently in space)
SelectionChinese Group 4 (2022)
MissionsShenzhou 23
Scientific career
FieldsComputer science
ThesisProfiling internet pirates. (2011)
Chow Kam-pui

Lai Ka-ying (Chinese: 黎家盈; pinyin: Lí Jiāyíng; Jyutping: Lai4 Gaa1jing4; born November 1982) is a Hong Kong astronaut who is a member of the Shenzhou 23 mission to the Tiangong space station. She is Hong Kong's first astronaut,[a] the fourth Chinese woman in space, and China's first female payload specialist. She was a superintendent in the Hong Kong Police Force.

Biography

Lai Ka-ying was born in British Hong Kong in November 1982; her ancestral home is Shunde, Guangdong.[1][2] She majored in computer science and information systems at the University of Hong Kong, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 2004, and later pursued a Master of Philosophy from 2004 to 2006 and earned a doctorate in 2011, both from the University of Hong Kong, specializing in computer forensics.[3][4]

Lai joined the Technical Services Division of the Hong Kong Police Force, where she reached the rank of superintendent.[5][6]

Reports in May 2024 stated that a female Hong Kong police officer with a doctorate in computer science and experience in information technology had been selected as a payload specialist in China's fourth group of astronauts. The reports stated that Lai had been seconded to the Security Bureau and sent to Beijing for astronaut training.[7]

In 2026, Lai was assigned to the Shenzhou 23 mission of the China Manned Space Program. The mission launched on 24 May 2026, with Lai serving as the mission's payload specialist.[8] She became Hong Kong's first astronaut.[9][a] She was also the first astronaut from China's fourth astronaut selection group to fly on a spaceflight mission.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Astronaut Bill Anders was born in Hong Kong to American parents, but left as an infant. He was an American astronaut for the NASA Apollo 8 mission.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "HKSAR chief executive congratulates Lai Ka-ying on joining China's 4th batch of astronauts". Xinhua News Agency. 23 May 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  2. ↑ Qu, Mandy (25 May 2026). "HK first astronaut's family shares memories, ancestral ties amid historic space mission". The Standard. Archived from the original on 27 May 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  3. ↑ Wong, Sze-wing (23 May 2026). "黎家盈擁港大計算機科學博士學歷 大學導師指：家盈個性樂於面對挑戰" [Lai Ka-ying Holds a PhD in Computer Science from HKU; University Supervisor Notes: Ka-ying Has a Personality That Welcomes Challenges.]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "博士論文辨BT發布者應對侵權" [Doctoral Dissertation Addresses How BT Publishers Should Respond to Copyright Infringement.]. Ming Pao (in Chinese). 24 May 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  5. ↑ Ma, Jess (23 May 2026). "Lai Ka-ying is Hong Kong's first astronaut. Her mentor saw her talent years ago". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Zhao, Lei (24 May 2026). "Lai Ka-ying launches HKSAR's aerospace dream". China Daily. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  7. ↑ Yau, Cannix; Heung, Sammy; Lo, Clifford (24 May 2024). "Policewoman picked as Hong Kong's first astronaut for China's space programme". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Lai Ka-ying selected for Shenzhou-23 mission as HK's historic first astronaut". The Standard. 23 May 2026. Archived from the original on 24 May 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  9. ↑ Multiple sources:
  10. ↑ Pearlman, Robert (24 May 2026). "China launches Shenzhou 23 with first taikonaut from Hong Kong". collectSPACE. Archived from the original on 29 May 2026.
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