Farewell! Lu Yuanjiu, winner of the "July 1st Medal", passed away

On June 6, Lu Yuanjiu, winner of the "July 1 Medal", academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and famous expert in automatic control, gyroscope and inertial navigation technology in my country, died in Beijing due to illness at the age of 103.

Lu Yuanjiu took a photo in 1995. Photo by Xinhua News Agency (Photo provided by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation)

Born in 1920, he is the oldest of the 29 recipients of the "July 1 Medal".

After receiving the "July 1 Medal" in 2021, Lu Yuanjiu described his experience in this way: Our generation studied under artillery fire, pioneered in thorns, and traveled through wind and rain. We used our sweat and youth to realize the magnificent dream of rocket launches, satellite orbits, spacecraft landing on the moon, and setting foot on Mars for the motherland.

The world’s first PhD in inertial navigation

In the 1930s, under the bombardment of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Lu Yuanjiu and his classmates struggled to study and arrived in Chongqing via Wuhan and Yichang to receive university education. They were the first group of college students in China to systematically study aviation technology.

In the mid-1940s, Lu Yuanjiu was admitted as a government-funded student to study in the United States, and eventually entered the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for further studies.

At that time, most international students usually chose theoretical majors based on their learning foundation in China. But Lu Yuanjiu felt that since he was in the United States, he had to learn something new.

After World War II, automatic control technology developed rapidly, and inertial technology had begun to be used in aviation and ground-to-ground missiles, but it was still in its infancy as a navigation technology. Lu Yuanjiu, who liked to try challenges, chose instrumentation and became the first doctoral student of Professor Charles Draper, a famous automatic control expert.

[First proposed the concept of "satellite recovery" and presided over the development of the first large-scale precision centrifuge ]

After hearing the news of the founding of New China, Lu Yuanjiu, who already had a stable job, decided to return to China.

At that time, the Chinese Academy of Sciences was preparing to establish the Institute of Automation, and the state assigned Lu Yuanjiu, who had expertise in this area, to the Institute of Automation to serve as a researcher and laboratory director, and later as deputy director, participating in the preparation for the establishment of the institute and the research and development of inertial navigation technology.

"We need to conduct research on the automatic control of artificial satellites, and use control methods to recover them." During the research, Lu Yuanjiu first proposed the concept of "recovering satellites." At the same time, the first model of the instrument cabin of a sounding rocket in my country was assembled by Lu Yuanjiu and his colleagues.

In the 1990s, Lu Yuanjiu took a photo in front of the Beijing Inertial Navigation Test Center while conducting research. Xinhua News Agency (Photo provided by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation)

In 1958, Chairman Mao Zedong called for "We should also develop artificial satellites." Lu Yuanjiu boldly proposed to conduct research on the automatic control of artificial satellites and to use control methods to recover them. This was the first time in the world that the concept of "recovering satellites" was proposed.

Due to limited conditions, the "artificial satellite" project was temporarily shelved in the early 1960s. But Lu Yuanjiu, the "gyroscope man", did not stop.

He was responsible for multiple tasks at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology of China at the same time, working more than ten hours a day. He presided over the establishment of the Liquid Suspension Inertial Technology Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In 1964, his book "Principles of Gyroscope and Inertial Navigation (Volume 1)" was published. This is one of the earliest monographs on inertial technology in my country and has played an important role in promoting the development of inertial technology in my country.

After that, Lu Yuanjiu presided over the establishment of the Liquid Float Inertial Technology Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and served as the director of the laboratory. He presided over the development of a series of important scientific and technological projects in my country. In Changchun, my country's first large-scale precision centrifuge was also born under his leadership.

[“For China’s space industry, 99 points is considered a failing grade” ]

In 1996, the Long March 3B rocket crashed into a mountain and exploded. The inertial device used in the rocket was produced by the 13th Institute of Aerospace Science and Technology, where Lu Yuanjiu was the director at the time. At that time, Lu Yuanjiu, who was already 76 years old, rushed to Xichang to investigate the cause of the accident. For more than three months, he and the researchers worked day and night and finally found the key reason for the launch failure.

After that, Lu Yuanjiu made a request: "For China's space industry, 99 points is considered a failing grade."

This strictness is even reflected in every detail of scientific research management. He requires everyone to arrive on time for meetings. Those who come late must stand outside and explain the reason for being late before they can take a seat. One of Lu Yuanjiu's students later entered the aerospace system. The teacher and student worked together and often argued over technical issues. People who couldn't stand him said he was too powerful and dared not approach him. They thought he was a "weird old man" who didn't show mercy to others. Some people also said that he was a big shot and had a high status, so he was arrogant.

Academician Lu explained that his bad temper was developed when he was abroad. At that time, he was bullied by foreigners. Even though he was right, they would insist that he was wrong. In order to prove himself, his temper became increasingly tough.

In 1984, Lu Yuanjiu served as the chief engineer of the Ministry of Aerospace Industry and a member of the Standing Committee of the Science and Technology Committee. Under his supervision, it became a trend for the aerospace system to train highly educated talents, and the problem of aerospace talent gap was gradually solved.

Lu Yuanjiu not only pays attention to academic education, but also pays more attention to the training of talents in scientific research institutions. In his opinion, only by allowing young people to "progress faster" can the flag of aerospace industry be held up by successive generations.

After 2000, Lu Yuanjiu, who was in his 80s, was still active in the aerospace industry. After several years of research and thinking, the idea of ​​a systematic project for cultivating scientific work style in aerospace talents gradually became clear. In 2005, Lu Yuanjiu published an article entitled "Cultivating Scientific Work Style in Aerospace Talents". Generation after generation of young aerospace talents have grown into aerospace workers with excellent work style under the guidance of Lu Yuanjiu.

"my country's aerospace industry has developed from nothing to something, from weak to strong, and every step forward is inseparable from the leadership and support of the Party. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, I am honored to receive the 'July 1 Medal'. This is not only an honor for me personally, but also an honor for all aerospace workers." Lu Yuanjiu said.

Academician Lu Yuanjiu discusses issues with colleagues in the laser gyro laboratory of Aerospace Times Electronics Company (photo taken in 2006). Xinhua News Agency (Photo provided by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation)

Lu Yuanjiu lived a simple life, but donated a large amount of his savings to support scientific research. Lu Yuanjiu once gave a message to young scientists: treat innovation as a long-distance race with no end. "Under the guidance of the party's flag, do not forget your original intention, keep your mission in mind, forge ahead, and serve the country with science and technology!"

Mr. Lu, rest in peace!

Comprehensive sources: Xinhua News Agency, CCTV News, Science and Technology Daily, etc.