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Hong Kong’s first astronaut Lai Ka-ying lifts off into space on Shenzhou-23 mission

China’s latest space mission, which includes Hong Kong’s first astronaut, lifted off on Sunday night.
The Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft blasted off from…

By Samantha Johnson / May 24, 2026

The Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China’s Gansu province at 11.08pm local time on Sunday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The rocket left the launchpad with a deafening blast and sent massive clouds of sand high up into the sky.

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Mission control declared the launch a success about 20 minutes after lift-off.

The crew included Lai Ka-ying, the Hong Kong police superintendent and tech specialist who will serve as the payload specialist.

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According to the live stream on state broadcaster CCTV, Lai’s first words in space to the command centre were “feeling good”.

The Shenzhou-23 mission lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu province on Sunday night. Photo: CCTV
The Shenzhou-23 mission lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu province on Sunday night. Photo: CCTV

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