Hong Kong Finally Gets Its First Astronaut; Government Officials Still Looking for Venue to Celebrate

City celebrates Lai Ka-ying's historic spaceflight by forming committee to form another committee

HONG KONG—One day after Lai Ka-ying became the city’s first astronaut, local officials announced they would immediately begin exploring the formation of a taskforce to study the feasibility of a dedicated space office, tentatively set to open sometime in 2028, assuming the city’s Executive Council can find a conference room to hold the first meeting.

“This is a monumental achievement for Hong Kong,” said Professor Zhang Peng, aerospace engineering program leader at City University, while texting his landlord about a leaky faucet. “But if we don’t act now, the public excitement will evaporate faster than a breath in a vacuum. We need a central coordinating body to ensure that the enthusiasm generated by Lai’s mission doesn’t just end up in a drawer somewhere, next to the old airport plans and the failed express rail project.”

The call for a dedicated office comes as Hong Kong’s government, still struggling to agree on lunch orders, is being urged to act swiftly. A top government adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity (and a fear of being forced to attend more meetings), confirmed that a “Space Development Steering Committee” has been proposed. Its first task: to draft a proposal for a “Space Development Advisory Board,” which will then recommend the creation of a “Space Development Working Group” to report on the feasibility of a dedicated office.

“We are very serious about space,” said the adviser, as a ceiling tile fell in the conference room. “Hong Kong must not miss this window. Other cities like Beijing and Shanghai already have dedicated space agencies—they have logos, websites, everything. We have a former airport that we turned into a parking lot. We need to catch up.”

Meanwhile, Lai Ka-ying has been busy giving interviews, attending school visits, and politely nodding as officials take pictures with cardboard cutouts of her spacecraft. She declined to comment on the planning delays, though sources say she has offered to let the government use her garage for meetings until a proper venue is found.

“This is a critical juncture,” Professor Zhang added. “If we don’t invest now, the next generation of space talent will move to Shenzhen, where they already have a space museum with a working elevator. We must act.”

Editor’s note: Kevin, our editor, says he has personally volunteered to help build the space office with his own two hands, but only if he gets a corner desk and maybe a small budget for snacks. He is still waiting for a reply. His email is unread.

As of press time, the government announced that the taskforce formation committee will meet in a WhatsApp group, pending approval of the group administrator.

Ispirato da: News about Hong Kong's first astronaut and calls for a dedicated space office

Categoria: Scienza

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