# A Hong Kong astronaut will join a Chinese space mission for the first time as part of a three-person crew launching on Sunday.

*aerospace · news · 2026-05-23 · Phys.org*

## Key points

- Hong Kong's Lai Ka-ying will be the first Hong Kong astronaut on a Chinese space mission.
- The Shenzhou-23 mission will launch on Sunday with three astronauts including Lai Ka-ying.
- One astronaut from this mission will remain on the Tiangong space station for a full year.
- The year-long residency will test health support and provide new data for long-duration flights.
- This extended stay marks a shift from previous six-month missions, advancing China's deep-space ambitions.

**Countries:** China, Hong Kong

[Read the full story on Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-05-china-latest-space-hong-kong.html)

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