Sun Jiadong, Lu Yuanjiu...their names shine in the starry sky

This is Sun Jiadong, winner of the Medal of the Republic. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He

Sun Jiadong: The aerospace "chief architect" who has been dealing with satellites all his life

Sun Jiadong, this name is closely linked to the development of China's space industry. He is known as the "chief architect" of China's space industry. From "Dongfanghong-1" to "Chang'e-1", from "Fengyun meteorological satellite" to "Beidou navigation satellite", he has been in charge of all the projects. Reading his resume is like reading a history of the development of China's space industry...

Spaceflight is a very complex system engineering project. Each project is composed of satellites, rockets, launch sites, measurement and control communications, applications and other systems. Each system has its own chief designer or commander-in-chief. Sun Jiadong is respected as the "chief architect".

April is an important month for China's space program, as it is both China Space Day and Sun Jiadong's birthday.

Sun Jiadong, who is 93 years old, has been dealing with satellites all his life. He has never been intimidated by difficulties. Instead, he becomes more courageous and ambitious.

Lu Yuanjiu: Dedicating his life to the country's aerospace industry

Studying under gunfire and pioneering in thorns, he contributed with his sweat and youth to the realization of the motherland's magnificent dream of rocket launches, satellite orbits, reaching the moon and setting foot on Mars; with his passion and character, he is a "great teacher" in the eyes of his students and one of the pioneers of automation science and technology in my country... His footprints tell the tortuous and difficult journey of a generation of Chinese intellectuals in their pursuit of serving the country, and his experience interprets the sincere original aspirations of the Chinese Communists.

Born in 1920, he is the oldest of the 29 recipients of the "July 1st Medal". He is Lu Yuanjiu, consultant of the Science and Technology Committee of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

It was Lu Yuanjiu's long-cherished wish to help young people "progress faster" and hold up the banner of the aerospace industry generation after generation. People commented: "Academician Lu pays attention to talent training and is well-known among aerospace experts." Under Lu Yuanjiu's concern, it has become a trend for the aerospace system to train highly educated talents.

Lu Yuanjiu lived a simple life, but donated a large amount of his savings to support scientific research. His life promoted the leapfrog development of my country's inertial navigation industry and cultivated a large number of leading talents. On his 90th birthday, his students sent a special congratulatory letter saying: "Although we are all over 70 now, we really want to listen to you explain various 'principles' in the classroom again."

The "Chang'e", "Shenzhou" and "Beidou" teams dedicated to serving the country through space exploration

The so-called great feats are all due to hard work. Behind the achievements of China's space industry, the "Chang'e", "Shenzhou" and "Beidou" teams who have devoted themselves to serving the country through space exploration have independently innovated and made continuous breakthroughs, writing brilliant chapters in the history of my country's space exploration.

"Chang'e" Team: Bringing back the moon from the clouds

In the early morning of December 17, 2020, Chang'e 5 broke through the sky and returned to Earth at the speed of a 100-meter sprint, stirring up a cloud of smoke.

This is the first lunar sample return mission by mankind in the 21st century. The successful implementation of the Chang'e-5 mission marks a major step forward for China's space industry.

From Chang'e-1 to Chang'e-5, China's lunar exploration project has achieved outstanding results. It has not exceeded the budget, has not lowered the targets, and has not delayed the time. It has completed the three-step plan of "orbiting, landing, and returning" as scheduled, and has delivered a brilliant answer to the world in the field of lunar exploration.

On April 16, 2022, the return capsule of the Shenzhou XIII manned spacecraft successfully landed at the Dongfeng landing site. This is a photo of astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu (left to right) exiting the spacecraft safely and smoothly (collage photo). Xinhua News Agency

"Shenzhou" Team: Carrying forward the Millennium Dream of Flying into Space

"My heart is beyond the sky and my eyes are as far as the stars." This is the truest portrayal of the inner thoughts of Chinese astronauts.

From the myths of Nuwa mending the sky and Kuafu chasing the sun, to Qu Yuan's "Heavenly Questions" and Li Bai's literary imagination of "raising a cup to invite the bright moon", flying away from the earth and traveling in space has been one of the dreams of the Chinese nation since ancient times. In order to realize the dream, generations of Chinese people have explored the way to fly into space in practice.

From Shenzhou-1 to Shenzhou-13, several generations of "Shenzhou" teams, with strong patriotic feelings, have screwed themselves into their jobs and into the country's aerospace cause like screwing a screw, pursuing extraordinary life ideals in ordinary jobs, and fulfilling their solemn promise of "serving the motherland with success and creating brilliance with excellence" with practical actions.

On June 23, 2020, the last networking satellite of my country's BeiDou-3 global satellite navigation system was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Hongjing

"Beidou" Team: China's Beidou shines in the sky

On July 31, 2020, the completion and opening ceremony of the BeiDou-3 global satellite navigation system was held in Beijing. The BeiDou-3 global satellite navigation system was fully completed and put into service, marking that my country has become the third country in the world to independently own a global satellite navigation system.

“Key core technologies must be firmly in our own hands,” “This is a team project, there are no individual heroes,” “China’s Beidou, the world’s Beidou, the first-class Beidou”... The Beidou team holds such beliefs and makes China’s Beidou shine in the sky.

By 2035, China will build a more ubiquitous, integrated and intelligent national integrated positioning, navigation and timing system, further improving its space-time information service capabilities. BeiDou will serve the world and benefit mankind with stronger functions and better performance.

Reporter: Hu Zhe

Editor: Liao Yi

Source: Xinhua News Agency