Hong Kong's First Female Astronaut Connects with Students via Tiangong Class from Space Station
HK01 · 3 SOURCESabout 5 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong's first female astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, conducted a live Tiangong Class session on September 9, connecting with students from Hong Kong and Macau via real-time space-to-ground dialogue. The event took place at her alma mater, Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial Secondary School in Tsuen Wan, where her former teacher shared insights into the astronaut's student years. Lai joined fellow crew members Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan aboard the Tiangong space station to demonstrate physics experiments and answer questions from eager young minds across the region.
Key Points
- Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong's first female astronaut, participated in the Tiangong Class Hong Kong-Macau special session aboard the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft on September 9
- The event was broadcast live from Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial Secondary School, where Lai enrolled in 1994 and attended from Class 2 to Class 5
- Former teacher Chan Kit-chee, who served as Lai's Class 2-3 form teacher and English instructor approximately 30 years ago, attended the event and expressed pride in her former student's achievements
- Chan described Lai as an enthusiastic student with curious eyes who excelled academically while actively participating in extracurricular activities including the traffic safety team, library monitor duties, and student union
- Secondary school students across Hong Kong and Macau witnessed demonstrations such as water-ball ping-pong and witnessed how wet towels do not drip in zero gravity, sparking interest in space physics
Why It Matters
The Tiangong Class session represents a significant milestone in Hong Kong and Macau's integration into China's national aerospace program, demonstrating that students from these regions can actively participate in cutting-edge space science. The appearance of Lai Ka-ying, a local product of Hong Kong's education system, serves as an inspiring role model for young people considering careers in STEM fields and reinforces the territory's contribution to national scientific advancement .
The Tiangong Class session represents a significant milestone in Hong Kong and Macau's integration into China's national aerospace program, demonstrating that students from these regions can actively participate in cutting-edge space science. The appearance of Lai Ka-ying, a local product of Hong Kong's education system, serves as an inspiring role model for young people considering careers in STEM fields and reinforces the territory's contribution to national scientific advancement .