‘Let’s give it a try’: motion sickness no barrier for Hong Kong’s first astronaut

Lai Ka-ying suffers from motion sickness, cannot stand hot weather, was not a top student and did not speak Mandarin – all of which made the 43-year-old mother of three an unlikely pick as Hong Kong’s first astronaut. But the Hong Kong-born payload specialist on China’s Shenzhou-23 mission, which is expected to blast off on Sunday night and head to the Tiangong space station, made it through almost two years of training. “I held a ‘let’s give it a try’ attitude,” Lai said in interviews with state media, recalling how she managed to pass the gruelling selection process. “I am prone to getting carsick and seasick. But when I sat in the rotating chair, I easily passed the test.” She added: “In the centrifuge test, I was in total confusion, everything went blurry. But I persevered through sheer willpower.” Working in the Hong Kong Police Force, where long hours and irregular shifts are the norm, helped her easily handle training involving 72 hours without sleep. “That was not too difficult for me. I used to work in the police force. Our work there was highly demanding,” Lai said. But in times of extreme fatigue, she said she reflexively used Cantonese when speaking with others. She also conceded that the 48-hour desert training was “tough”. “I am one of those who cannot stand hot weather. It was very uncomfortable working under melting sunshine,” she recalled, thanking team members for their support. “I think we can overcome any difficulties if we work together.” She completed 1,700 training hours after being recruited, passing the flight qualification assessment with flying colours, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Lai, China’s first female payload expert, was selected for training in 2024 as part of the country’s fourth batch of astronauts. She is part of a three-member team that will blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern mainland China. Separately, her close friend, Professor Li Jia of Lingnan University, praised Lai for her perseverance, particularly during the demanding physical training. She revealed that among the 15 shortlisted Hong Kong candidates for payload specialists, only two passed the rigorous body checks and training. “There is a training exercise called the swing, which is very similar to a pirate ship ride in amusement parks, and you have to sit on it for 15 minutes while blindfolded,” Li said in Hong Kong media interviews. “Other training involves a spinning chair, similar to a merry-go-round, where you must keep your eyes closed. An ordinary person might not last even one minute, but the astronaut has to endure it for 15 minutes.” Li added that another challenging test involved completing tasks in a centrifuge under centrifugal force equivalent to seven to eight times one’s body weight. Lai, meanwhile, said she was happy with her fitness. “I have been rather healthy, not even catching a cold easily. I keep a healthy diet,” she said. “But I do like egg waffles very much.” Besides the extreme training, adapting to the daily lifestyle on the mainland and distinct dietary habits was a challenge. At first, the canteen specially prepared light dishes to suit her tastes. On the language barrier, “I hadn’t learned Mandarin before the 1997 handover,” Lai said, referring to Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty. “So speaking Mandarin was a bit awkward when I first arrived. I didn’t understand much of what they said. “Classes were rather difficult. But my classmates were very helpful. We also had a lot of interaction after classes. My Mandarin improved a lot after a few months. I have also learned some northeastern Chinese slang. “Now I will give myself 80 or 90 out of 100 for everyday communication,” Lai said, referring to her Mandarin proficiency. She said her journey to space began with a childhood fascination with computers. “I was not a bright student. I remember I almost had to repeat Primary Three. When I grew older, I developed an interest in computer science,” she said. “My teacher was very good. His classes were very engaging. I felt that computers could help people do many things in the future. “So, once you find your interest, studying becomes easier.” Her space dream was ignited in 2003 by the country’s first astronaut, Yang Liwei. Lai said she was moved by a sound bite from Yang in a television news report in which he recalled an overseas Chinese person praising the country’s achievement, saying: “How high our Chinese spacecraft flies, that’s how high we Chinese can hold our heads.” Lai said: “The remark was quite touching. It brought tears to my eyes. At the time, I had a strong feeling about the strength of our nation.” The Shenzhou-23 crew members will conduct more than 100 new scientific studies during their mission. Lai is expected to remain in the space station for about six months. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong revealed on Saturday night that of the nearly 120 applications received when the local recruitment of payload experts began in the second half of 2022, 40 advanced to the second round of selection. “[Lai] was one of the candidates who impressed me the most. Her comprehensive qualities are very well-rounded. It was not surprising that she was selected,” Sun said. Sun is leading a delegation to the launch centre to attend the send-off ceremony for the Shenzhou-23 crew on Sunday evening.

‘Let’s give it a try’: motion sickness no barrier for Hong Kong’s first astronaut

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Lai Ka-ying says sheer willpower helped her pass parts of the gruelling selection process for China’s Shenzhou-23 mission

Lai Ka-ying says sheer willpower helped her pass parts of the gruelling selection process for China’s Shenzhou-23 mission