Hong Kong's first astronaut Lai Ka-ying sparks calls for aerospace investments

Hong Kong celebrated a historic milestone on Sunday as police superintendent and mother of three Lai Ka-ying became the city's first astronaut, joining China's Shenzhou-23 mission to the Tiangong space station. The three-person crew launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre and entered the station early Monday. The achievement has generated widespread excitement across Hong Kong.

But experts warn that short-term enthusiasm must be backed by structural investments. Professor Zhang Peng, aerospace engineering programme leader at City University, is calling on the government to establish a dedicated aerospace office, expand funding for related programmes, create targeted internships, and build a local aerospace technology hub. 'Without sustained funding, industry links and the commercial translation of research, talent will leak to other sectors or regions,' Zhang said. He believes prioritising these steps can turn excitement into a long-term innovation ecosystem and talent pipeline for Hong Kong.