Hong Kong's first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, is among the crew aboard the Shenzhou-23 mission, which successfully launched from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.

China’s latest space mission, which includes Hong Kong’s first astronaut, lifted off on Sunday night. The Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China’s Gansu province at 11.08pm local time on Sunday, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The rocket left the launchpad with a deafening blast and sent massive clouds of sand high up into the sky. Mission control declared the launch a success about 20...