Published : 2026-05-20
China's Shenzhou-23 spacecraft is set to launch in late May 2026, and what people are most focused on this time is likely the mission patch that seems to give a "spoiler" about a female astronaut from Hong Kong who is set to soar into the sky.
Of course, the Shenzhou-23 mission has many other highlights, for example, one of the astronauts will stay in space for over a year, challenging the Chinese record...
Showing the docking of the Shenzhou spacecraft with the space station
According to usual practice, officials only announce the list of astronauts on the eve of a new crewed space mission, but this time there was an early "preview".
In April of the previous year, Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency, said at a press conference: "Astronauts from Hong Kong and Macao, as payload specialists, are expected to carry out their first flight mission as early as 2026."
At present, China's space programme stably conducts two crewed space missions per year. Will the astronaut from Hong Kong or Macao carry out the Shenzhou-23 mission in the first half of the year, or the Shenzhou 24 mission in the second half? Will the one flying to space be an astronaut from Hong Kong, or from Macao?
The authorities' statement in mid-May 2026 was that the Shenzhou-23 would "be launched at an opportune time in the coming days".
Around the same time, the mission patch was released, and space enthusiasts said upon seeing it: "It's definitely the female astronaut from Hong Kong!" Why so certain? Because the patch contains a "large amount of information".
First, let's look at the mission patch. It has a circular design and shows the scene of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft about to dock with the Chinese space station "Tiangong".
Space enthusiasts: Bauhinia + apsara holds a symbolic meaning
According to the official description, the three five-pointed stars in the patch correspond to the three astronauts executing the mission. The left side features the launch of the Long March 2F carrier rocket as the main visual focus, paired with golden auspicious clouds and Ruyi (如意) patterns.
By blending traditional auspicious elements with modern aerospace technology, it conveys best wishes for the complete success of the mission, highlighting the deep integration of traditional culture and the aerospace industry.
The right side integrates the image of "Feitian" (飛天, flying apsaras) with dynamic, flowing ribbons. The upward-soaring lines complement the circular outline beautifully, utilising classic cultural symbols to carry the Chinese nation's millennia-old dream of flight and its unwavering belief in exploring the cosmos.
The patch uses tech-blue as its main colour, symbolising space exploration and technological breakthroughs; it is embellished with China red, which both inherits the visual DNA of the Shenzhou series patches and signifies a smooth and ever-advancing mission.
The official statement did not mention any content related to the astronauts, but space enthusiasts found a suspected "deliberate omission": there is an unmentioned Bauhinia flower on the patch.
The Bauhinia is the city flower of Hong Kong and perfectly represents Hong Kong. The "Apsara" is a flying female figure. Putting it all together, it is a "spoiler" that a female astronaut from Hong Kong is going to fly to space.
Female chief inspector researching "space computing power"?
Space enthusiasts say that the finalisation of the mission patch's design is very rigorous. Each component must be carefully considered and has its own symbolic meaning, so it is unlikely that there are any "coincidences".
There have been persistent widespread rumours that the Hong Kong-born female astronaut is Lai Ka-ying, a Chief Inspector from the Hong Kong Police Force. She is a mother of three and holds a doctorate, specialising in information technology and computer science.
She will become the first Hong Kong citizen to enter space, as well as the fourth Chinese female astronaut to achieve spaceflight, following Liu Yang (劉洋), Wang Yaping (王亞平), and Wang Haoze (王浩澤).
A payload specialist refers to scientific researchers who conduct experiments in the space station. Space enthusiasts speculate whether Lai Ka-ying's work in the space station will be related to the increasingly valued "space computing power"?
Of course, whether a female astronaut from Hong Kong will eventually be on the mission, whether it will be Lai Ka-ying, and what research will be conducted can only be confirmed by official announcements.
Some space enthusiasts have calculated, based on orbital data, that the launch time for Shenzhou-23 will be around 11 p.m. on 24 May. The answer will be revealed soon.
Having discussed the "spoilers", let's now talk about the Shenzhou-23 mission.
According to publicly available information, one of the three astronauts on the Shenzhou-23 mission will conduct a trial of staying in the space station for more than a year. This is about double the current "six-month rotation" stay, and he/she will not return to Earth aboard Shenzhou-23 at the end of 2026.
Astronauts to challenge a space residency of over a year
Could this be the female astronaut from Hong Kong? Some online articles say so, but some space enthusiasts believe it is unlikely.
Firstly, the astronaut from Hong Kong belongs to the payload specialist category, not a professional astronaut, and it would be more appropriate for such an experiment to be conducted by professional astronauts who have undergone more rigorous training.
Furthermore, the experiment should be progressive, and it would be logical for experienced astronauts to challenge the limits.
Besides, if the astronaut staying for a year does not "return on the original spacecraft", will there be an empty seat on Shenzhou-23's return journey?
No, because for the Shenzhou-24 mission at the end of 2026, a Pakistani astronaut is scheduled to fly to space. He is expected to make only a short stay and then return to Earth with Shenzhou-23 after the "handover".
If the female astronaut from Hong Kong undertakes the Shenzhou-23 mission and stays in space for half a year, she will return on the same spacecraft as the first foreigner to visit the "Tiangong" space station.
Finally, why do the authorities want to conduct a trial for an astronaut to stay for more than a year? Which Chinese astronaut currently holds the record for the longest single stay in space? And what about the world record? That is a story for another time.
Read more: China may become the first to find water on the Moon ?｜Chang'e-7 Ⅰ
(The cover image of this article is generated by AI)
