The Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft has entered the final preparatory phase ahead of launch. According to CCTV.com, the combined spacecraft-rocket assembly was transported on May 16, and on May 20, a full-system rehearsal was conducted at the launch site, simulating every step from flight preparations and ignition to separation of the spacecraft from the rocket. Meanwhile, the astronaut team completed medical examinations and a one-to-one drill of the pre-launch ceremony. Officials stated that the launch will take place ‘in the coming days,’ though no specific date has been announced.
Meanwhile, speculation regarding the crew lineup continues to grow. Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily reported that the official emblem for the Shenzhou-23 mission features a five-petal pattern resembling Hong Kong’s city flower, the Bauhinia, alongside a ‘fairy’ motif symbolizing female astronauts. This has been widely interpreted as an indication that Dr. Li Ka-ying, a payload specialist from Hong Kong and superintendent with the Hong Kong Police Force, will be part of the crew. During this year’s Two Sessions, Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program, explicitly confirmed that a Hong Kong-based payload specialist would be among the first astronauts sent into space this year. Should this prove true, Li Ka-ying would become the first Hong Kong astronaut in history and only the fourth Chinese woman to travel to space after Liu Yang, Wang Yaping, and Wang Haocheng. To date, however, no official crew list has been released.