On 24 May 2026, many families gathered around their screens to witness a historic moment: the successful launch of the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft and the official entry of Dr Lai Ka Ying, Hong Kong's first payload specialist, into China's space station, "Tiangong!"
As Hong Kong's first female astronaut, Dr Lai has achieved a breakthrough from "zero to one" for the city's aerospace dreams. Furthermore, she will operate the "Tianyun Camera," which was developed entirely by a team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)—a true point of pride for our citizens. This golden combination of "Hong Kong-developed, Hong Kong-operated" showcases the extraordinary strength of Hong Kong's world-class scientific research on the global stage.
As this year marks the beginning of the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong has officially become a core member and direct participant in the National Manned Space programme. This remarkable achievement highlights Hong Kong's increasingly important position as an international innovation and technology hub. This new milestone offers fresh inspiration for the education and future development of our next generation.
Diverse Development Paths for the New Generation
Many parents in Hong Kong place high expectations on their children's futures. Traditionally, sectors such as finance, law, medicine, trade, and engineering have been the most popular career development paths. Dr Lai Ka Ying's story opens up a broader horizon for career aspirations and introduces a new way of thinking.
Dr Lai served as a Superintendent in the Hong Kong Police Force prior to her aerospace training. Relying on her exceptional professional competence, grit, and relentless hard work, she successfully passed the rigorous national selection process and training regimen to become Hong Kong's first space heroine. Her journey of perseverance sends a strong message to parents and children alike: the stage for our youth can be incredibly large. It is not confined to our vibrant city of Hong Kong; it embraces the entire nation and even extends into the boundless universe.
With Hong Kong's direct participation in national aerospace engineering, emerging industries such as innovation and technology, satellite applications, commercial aerospace, and space life sciences will flourish in the future. Our children will have wider access to a more diverse range of high-quality career paths, and they can now proudly write down "scientist" or "astronaut" on their list of "Ideal Careers."
Igniting a Passion for Self-Motivated Learning
Every parent hopes their child will possess a strong intrinsic motivation to learn. The successful deployment of the HKUST team's independently developed "Tianyun Camera" to the space station, to be operated in orbit by Dr Lai, serves as a vivid and convincing real-life teaching case. Science is not just a collection of theories; it is a practical and reachable reality. It marks the moment the HKSAR "transforms from a 'supporter' of the country's great aerospace endeavors into an 'executor'."
This milestone may spark a new wave of "space fever" across campuses in our city, fuelling students' interest in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). When children develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about the universe, they will proactively and enthusiastically dive into knowledge such as Mathematics, Physics, and programming. This inside-out passion for learning will leave a more long-lasting and profound imprint on a child's heart than mere rote memorisation of theories.
If parents wish to cultivate a broader range of learning interests in their children, please click here to participate in the Hong Kong Education City's (EdCity) "Points & Rewards" scheme.
Empowering the Development of Innovation and Technology
Hong Kong's innovation and technology industry is now entering a golden age of diversified growth. The direct participation of our local university research projects in the national aerospace programme opens new practical frontiers for scientific research. It is hoped that local universities and research institutions can leverage the microgravity and extreme environments of the space station to conduct cutting-edge experiments in materials science, life sciences, and space payloads.
This breakthrough will drive the development of upstream and downstream industries in Hong Kong—such as satellite applications, space technology transfer, and intelligent robotics. It lays a solid foundation for Hong Kong to gain an entry ticket to the "space economy" and commercial aerospace sectors, injecting new momentum into the local economy and creating more high-tech jobs for the next generation.
Cultivating a Positive Outlook on Life
Many parents hope their children will develop a broad perspective, a grand worldview, and a positive, optimistic attitude toward life. As Hong Kong's first payload specialist taking part in a major national project, Dr Lai Ka Ying embodies the beautiful convergence of the lofty "Manned Space Spirit" and the resilient "Lion Rock Spirit."
Parents can use this inspiring space mission to nurture resilience in their children, encouraging the new generation to pursue excellence and progress with patience and perseverance. Transforming these fine qualities into a solid foundation for their future will allow the next generation to showcase their confidence and brilliance as they join the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and step onto the international stage.
Parents and children can visit the Fun Post Video Learning Library on the Hong Kong Education City website to watch videos about idioms related to perseverance:
Video Link: Learn Idioms Related to Perseverance (Chinese version only)
As well as fun post video about rocket:
Video Link: Rocket (Chinese version only)
"Dreams are never out of reach, and they don't care about your background. As long as you hold your country in your heart and constantly strive to do your best, everyone can shine brightly." This golden quote from Dr Lai Ka Ying holds profound meaning for both parents and children.
The starry sky is boundless, and Hong Kong is chasing its dreams. As more scientific achievements and local talents soar into the cosmos, Hong Kong can write a more glorious new chapter in its journey of serving and integrating into the overall development of the nation.