Lai Ka-ying will join the Shenzhou-23 crew launching on Sunday to the Tiangong space station as payload specialist.
The China Manned Space Agency announced on Saturday that Zhu Yangzhu will command the Shenzhou-23 mission with Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying. Lai, a 43-year-old Hong Kong police superintendent with a doctorate in computer science from the University of Hong Kong, will operate the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory to collect data on greenhouse gas emissions.
Lai said she adopted a “let’s give it a try” attitude during selection despite a tendency toward motion sickness. She passed the rotating chair test easily and persevered through the centrifuge test by willpower.
The spacecraft is scheduled to lift off at 11:08pm on Sunday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Lai encouraged young Hongkongers to chase their dreams, saying that if everyone works hard there will be a better tomorrow.
