Yang Liwei Praises Shenzhou-23 Crew as China Highlights Space Station Expansion

Speaking at a State Council Information Office briefing in Beijing, China's first astronaut and China Manned Space Agency deputy chief designer Yang Liwei praised the performance of the Shenzhou-23 crew, noting that mission operations are progressing smoothly in orbit. Yang singled out astronaut Lai Ka-ying for exceptional performance while reflecting on 34 years of China's human spaceflight program. Contrasting his solo 2003 mission with today's multi-module space station, Yang noted that habitable volume has grown from six cubic meters to more than 120 cubic meters.

The steady operation of Shenzhou-23 and the active role of payload specialist Lai Ka-ying reflect the operational maturity of the Tiangong space station and the integration of researchers from Hong Kong into long-duration orbital missions.

China's Shenzhou-23 crew is carrying out its orbital duties smoothly, with astronaut Lai Ka-ying performing exceptionally well aboard the Tiangong space station, according to remarks by China Manned Space Agency deputy chief designer Yang Liwei reported by China News Service. Yang, who became China's first astronaut in orbit during the Shenzhou-5 mission in 2003, delivered the mission update during a State Council Information Office media briefing held in Beijing on September 21. The briefing brought together representatives from China's aerospace sector to discuss continuous developments across more than three decades of the national crewed space initiative. Reflecting on the 34-year evolution of the crewed spaceflight program, Yang drew direct comparisons between his initial 2003 flight and current orbital infrastructure. He noted humorously that while observers once joked he had reached space aboard a tractor, modern crews travel in the equivalent of an automobile. The disparity in interior volume is similarly stark: Yang's early return capsule offered approximately six cubic meters of habitable space—akin to a single standard room—whereas the fully assembled Tiangong space station provides more than 120 cubic meters of interior space, comparable to a multi-room apartment. Yang also noted dramatic improvements in onboard life support and logistics, remarking that modern crews have access to a far wider range of hot meals, including fried chicken wings, highlighting the advanced thermal and nutritional systems now operating in microgravity. The Shenzhou-23 mission marks a notable operational milestone, featuring payload specialist Lai Ka-ying alongside the core flight crew. China's astronaut selection program previously expanded its fourth candidate cohort to encompass researchers and specialists from the Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions, aiming to diversify mission capability and integrate regional scientific expertise into national space station laboratory modules. State media reports confirmed that on-orbit scientific workflows and maintenance routines aboard Tiangong remain on schedule, as China continues routine crew rotations and long-duration space station operations.