China lança missão Shenzhou-23 com três tripulantes para a estação espacial Tiangong. Um astronauta permanecerá um ano em órbita, inédito para o país, visando estudos para futuras missões lunares e de Marte.
Hong Kong celebrated the launch of the Shenzhou-23 mission, featuring the city's first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying. The crew, including Lai, Zhu Yangzhu, and Zhang Zhiyuan, departed from Jiuquan, Gansu province, heading to the Gobi Desert launch site. Lai, a police superintendent and mother of three, is the fourth Chinese woman in space and the first female payload specialist.
Astronaut Zhang Zhiyuan, selected for the Shenzhou-23 mission, shared his journey, highlighting that the greatest challenge was overcoming rejection from previous flight crew selections despite rigorous training.
Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan, and Li Jiaying have been selected for the Shenzhou 23 crew. Zhu Yangzhu will serve as commander. Li Jiaying is from Hong Kong.
Hong Kong will send its first astronaut, police chief inspector Lai Ka-ying, to the Tiangong space station on the Shenzhou-23 mission. She will be the fourth woman in space for China and will work with two other astronauts.
