How Lai Ka-ying Sparked a 3-Fold Surge in Aerospace Course Inquiries Across Hong Kong

The launch of Hong Kong's first astronaut into space has had an immediate and tangible impact on the ground, far from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The selection of Lai Ka-ying, a former police superintendent, for the Shenzhou-23 mission has not only made history but ignited a sudden, measurable surge in demand for aerospace education across the city. The effect was swift, with one learning centre seeing inquiries more than triple, prompting industry leaders to push for new educational infrastructure to harness the historic moment.

A Sudden Surge in Course Inquiries

The most immediate evidence of the "Lai Ka-ying effect" emerged at Star Club Scientist Education, a Hong Kong learning centre for children aged 3 to 17. Following the public announcement of Lai as a crew member, the centre experienced a dramatic spike in interest.

Jeffrey Ho, the centre's CEO, reported that daily inquiries for its aerospace and satellite-design courses more than tripled, jumping from an average of roughly 10 per day before the announcement . He described the increase as "explosive," with a flood of interest from both parents and schools . The courses in demand include aerospace science, satellite design, and microsatellite assembly, with hourly fees ranging from about HK$300 to HK$650 .

Lai Ka-ying is a payload specialist who launched aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft on May 24, 2026. A Hong Kong native and superintendent in the Hong Kong Police Force, she holds a doctoral degree in computer forensics and is China's first female payload specialist to travel to space . The Shenzhou-23 mission, carried by a Long March-2F rocket, lifted off at 11:08 p.m. local time and successfully docked with the Tiangong space station .