Lai Ka-ying, the first female Chinese civilian to reach outer space and the first astronaut from Hong Kong, said she never dared to dream of traveling into space.

"As an ordinary native of Hong Kong, I never imagined I could join the astronaut team and be selected for this spaceflight. This precious opportunity was far beyond my wildest expectations back then. At this moment, my heart is filled with gratitude and pride," she said at a news conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Saturday, a day before her maiden space journey.

"First and foremost, I sincerely thank our motherland for building a stage where we can realize our dreams. I also wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Hong Kong government and Hong Kong people for their full support," Lai said to a large group of reporters.

The astronaut said she will spare no effort to complete all scheduled tasks.

"I will never let down the expectations of Hong Kong people, nor fail the great trust placed in me by the motherland."

Born in November 1982, Lai grew up in Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong's New Territories. She is the second child of parents who relocated to Hong Kong from Guangdong province before her birth.

In 2001, Lai was enrolled at The University of Hong Kong, majoring in computer science and information systems.

She first learned of China's manned space program at the age of 21.

"It was when Yang Liwei flew into space aboard the Shenzhou V to fulfill China's first crewed mission. The mission was not broadcast live in Hong Kong at that time, yet we managed to watch news clips of his launch and safe return.

"My parents hail from the mainland and have profound affection for the motherland. So the whole family was filled with excitement while watching the footage together back then," Lai said.

After earning her bachelor's degree in 2004, she pursued postgraduate studies at the same university, and in 2011, she received a doctoral degree in computer science.

The following year, she learned that the Technical Services Division of the Hong Kong Police Force was launching a rare specialist recruitment drive and decided to apply.

"When I earned my doctoral degree, some investment banks were interested in graduates of my major, probably because we are proficient in computing and have strong data analysis capabilities. They could offer high salaries. But I intended to use my expertise to serve the public, so I decided to pursue a career as a public servant. My research specialty was computer forensics, and I thought working in the police force would be fascinating," Lai said.

At the division, she was responsible for electronic forensics and cybersecurity work, gradually moving up through the ranks.