At 3:22 PM Beijing time, a Long March 2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, carrying a crew of three to the Tiangong space station. Among them is Dr. Cheung Wai-lam, a 38-year-old biochemist from Hong Kong, making him the first Hong Konger to travel to orbit. The mission, designated Shenzhou 19, marks a significant milestone for China's human spaceflight programme and its integration of the Special Administrative Region into national scientific endeavours. For the United Kingdom, sitting on the sidelines, the launch is a reminder of a space industry left behind post-Brexit.
Dr. Cheung, selected from over 1,500 candidates in a rigorous 2022 recruitment drive, will spend six months aboard Tiangong conducting experiments on microgravity protein crystallisation and stem cell differentiation. His specialisation in metabolic bone disease offers potential clinical applications for osteoporosis, a condition affecting millions globally. 'This is not just a flag-planting exercise,' he said in a pre-launch briefing. 'We are here to produce hard science.' The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, his alma mater, will receive real-time data from his experiments via the China Satellite Network.
The geopolitical context cannot be ignored. China's space programme, now the world's second largest by budget, has accelerated since the US passed the Wolf Amendment in 2011, barring NASA from bilateral cooperation with Beijing. The result: a parallel space ecosystem. Tiangong now hosts six astronauts in two modules, with a third module slated for 2025. China has also announced plans for a lunar base by 2030, and two more astronauts from Hong Kong are in training for future missions. Meanwhile, the UK Space Agency, with a budget of £1.6 billion, lacks a crewed launch capability and relies on US and European partnerships. The UK's share of global space launches stands at less than 1 per cent, compared to China's 25 per cent.
But the science is the story. Dr. Cheung's research could unlock mechanisms of bone loss that affect astronauts in microgravity and patients on Earth. The stem cell work may lead to therapies for spinal injuries. 'We are one step closer to understanding how cells build tissues without gravity's load,' said Professor Mei Ling, his Hong Kong supervisor. The experiments require a temperature-stable environment and periodic intervention, tasks Dr. Cheung will perform alongside his crewmates, veteran astronaut Zhang Xiaoguang and rookie engineer Li Wenzhe.
The launch itself was textbook: the rocket's nine YF-20 engines burned for 173 seconds, reaching Mach 10 before stage separation. The crew entered a 400-kilometre orbit 10 minutes later. Docking with Tiangong's Tianhe core module occurred at 7:08 PM. The event was broadcast live on Chinese state television, with commentary in Mandarin and Cantonese. In Hong Kong, thousands watched on outdoor screens in Kowloon Park.
The UK's response has been muted. The Foreign Office issued a statement congratulating Dr. Cheung on his 'personal achievement', but noted no bilateral collaboration. 'We respect China's space programme and hope for peaceful uses of space,' a spokesperson said. Critics argue the UK is missing an opportunity. 'China is open to international partners, but we have no political will,' said Dr. Alice Ng, a space policy analyst at King's College London. The UK's National Space Strategy, published in 2021, emphasises sovereign capability but has not delivered a crewed capsule or heavy-lift rocket.
For Dr. Cheung, the sky is no longer the limit. His journey from Hong Kong's cramped high-rises to the weightless expanse of orbit embodies a changing order. As the Earth turned below, he sent a message in Cantonese: 'We are all passengers on this blue marble. Let us explore together.' The UK, watching from the ground, has yet to build its own ship.
This report will be updated as more details emerge.
