Hong Kong’s first-ever payload expert in space Lai Ka-ying will operate a locally designed observatory that tracks greenhouse gas emissions during her mission aboard the Tiangong space station.

Lai and the rest of the Shenzhou-23 crew docked at the nation's space station early on Monday.

The payload specialist from the SAR will be responsible for installing the multi-spectral imaging carbon observatory to allow data collection to begin.

The specialised science payload – developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology – arrived at the space station aboard the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft this month.

The instrument – known as the "Eye For Space" – will be used for at least two years to monitor the nation’s carbon dioxide and methane emissions from strong emission industrial sources such as power plants, coal mines and landfills.

Project lead professor Su Hui, co-director of the Space Science and Technology Institute at the university, said Lai's mission reflects Beijing's profound recognition of Hong Kong's aerospace capabilities.

"It represents the nation’s high recognition of our scientific research capabilities and demonstrates that Hong Kong's research teams are not only capable of manufacturing world-leading payloads but also have the ability to cultivate our very own world-class astronauts,” she told an RTHK radio programme.

"This will contribute significantly to the progress of aerospace technology development in Hong Kong and promote deeper cooperation between research institutions in Hong Kong and the mainland."

Chow Kam-pui, the doctoral mentor for Lai and an honourary associate professor from the School of Computing and Data Science at the University of Hong Kong, said Lai had shown leadership qualities and an attention for detail as a student.

“Our research team was made up of four to five students," he said on the same programme.

"Lai embodied the spirit of teamwork and occasionally took the lead in some projects.

"Apart from the academic side, she already demonstrated her team spirit and positive work attitude back then. It shows that she is capable of participating in very complex projects.”

Quentin Parker, director of the Laboratory for Space Research at the University of Hong Kong, praised Lai for being an ideal candidate with the ability to execute complex scientific experiments in space.

He said Lai's extensive experience in criminal forensic work during her time with the police provided her with the perfect skill set required to serve as an onboard specialist scientist.

“She would be excellent performing many of the experiments on board as somebody that has the right training and attention to detail, looking down into the granular detail of things that happen on board of a spacecraft,” Parker said.

“That means that you’re far more likely to be able to notice small, subtle differences in experimental setups compared to what you might have done on the ground and in terms of the results that you might be acquiring.”

Meanwhile, Ken Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, said he had accompanied a group of teachers and students to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to witness the Shenzhou-23 blast-off on Sunday.

The lawmaker and veteran educator said he believes Lai’s success will inspire the city’s next generation to become more committed to science and technology.

"I believe this also represents a massive inspiration for the education sector," Wong said.

"This is a vivid example. It is no longer abstract, but rather a real and tangible demonstration that we need to do more in education to ensure it remains possible for us to participate further in national space development in the future."


Edited by Aaron Tam