Chad, June 5 -- On the night of May 24, televisions flickered late into the evening across Hong Kong as families awaited a moment many described as historic.

At 11:08 p.m., the countdown echoed on live broadcasts. "Five, four, three, two, one… ignition!" As a rocket carrying the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft roared into the night sky, cheers erupted simultaneously in homes citywide.

Among the crew, Hong Kong native Lai Ka-ying drew special attention. A former University of Hong Kong scholar and Hong Kong Police Force officer, she now wears China's astronaut uniform as the city's first representative on a national space mission.

In interviews, Lai detailed her rigorous training after being selected for the fourth group of reserve astro...