100-Second Introduction of 100-year-old HIT — School of Astronautics

2020/04/25

Written by: MENG Xiaohui
Translated by: LV Liangjun
Edited by: William Mosteller
Date: 3-31

At the time of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Harbin Institute of Technology, the All Media Center, together with the relevant schools, launched a series of micro videos — “100-Second Introduction of 100-year-old HIT” — in order to summarize the development and disciplinary characteristics of each school and show the achievements in various fields. The first phase is the introduction of the School of Astronautics.

Looking up at the starry sky while standing down on earth, forging ahead with a history of 30 years, the School of Astronautics always serves the country’s major needs by closely connecting its own development to the future and destiny of the nation.

In June 1987, with the approval of the Ministry of Aerospace Industry, Harbin Institute of Technology established the School of Astronautics, which is China’s first school focused on cultivating advanced aerospace professionals and engaged in aerospace high-tech research. At present, the School of Astronautics has 5 first-level disciplines with 13 departments and research institutes (centers). It is the largest aerospace school with most major disciplines of aerospace in China.

After more than 30 years of development, with the joint efforts of an enormous number of talents, the School of Astronautics has made numerous achievements in China:

◆Developed China's first set of space rendezvous and docking simulation system;

◆Developed China's first high-precision dual-axis gyro test turntable for astronautic use;

◆Launched China's first transmission stereo mapping small satellite independently developed by universities — “Test I”;

◆Proposed the world’s pioneering technology of satellite and launch vehicle integrated spacecraft and developed the satellite and launch vehicle integrated spacecrafts, “Kuaizhou I” and “Kuaizhou II”;

◆Developed China's first set of satellite-borne terminals of satellite optical communication[LM1] , and conducted the first international test of high-orbit satellite-to-ground two-way communication by high-speed laser

◆Launched China's first nano-satellite independently designed, developed, and controlled by college students — “Lilac II”;

◆Developed the world's first microsatellite “Longjiang II” that independently completed the earth-moon transfer, near-month braking, and circumlunar flight.

……

The School of Astronautics has been leading at home and ranked amongst the top in the world in many fields such as advanced composite materials technology and satellite optical communication.

Over the past 30 years since the establishment of the School of Astronautics, the school has organized teachers and students to solve problems and develop key technologies related to national defense. A large number of typical teachers and students, represented by academician Ma Zuguang, a model of senior intellectuals in the new era, have emerged, giving birth to the spirit of Ma Zuguang, the spirit of Wang Duo, and the spirit of HIT’s small satellites team with the common attributes of patriotism and striving. In addition, they have formed the cultural tradition of the School of Astronautics with the main characteristics of “responsibility, progress, dedication”. Furthermore, they have shaped the common value pursuit of teachers and students. All of these have led a batch of young people to devote themselves in the cause of aerospace and national defense.

The School of Astronautics actively undertakes high-tech projects with the direction of meeting the country’s major needs, the impetus of developing key technologies, and the combination of scientific research and technology reserves. It has become an important force to promote China’s aerospace industry with its distinctive characteristics and unique advantages. In the past five years, the School of Astronautics has received nine[LM2]  national awards of science and technology, including one State Technological Invention Award first prize, three State Technological Invention Award second prizes, and five National Natural Science Award second prizes. Additionally, 168 projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) were approved, including three major projects (one project was led by the school) and nine key projects, while two projects of National Key Scientific Instrument and Equipment Development Projects of China were approved.

The School of Astronautics has always adhered to its original intention of educating people for the Communist Party of China (CPC), and kept in mind the mission of educating talents for the country. Meanwhile, the school has fully implemented the education policy guided by the CPC, and strictly followed the first standard of teachers’ morality and virtue. Furthermore, the school has implemented the basic task of cultivating people with morality, woven ideological and political work throughout the whole process of education and teaching, and made every effort to cultivate new aerospace talents who are scientific, practical, rigorous, and solid in style.

Through the continuous efforts of several generations of scholars, the School of Astronautics has formed a strong academic atmosphere and a “master + team” characteristic mode of teaching. The high-level teaching staff, represented by academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, national famous teachers, Changjiang Scholars, winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and 973 chief scientists, has built a stage for students to pursue their dreams and achieve their ideals.

Pursuing the aerospace dream for 30 years with deep affection for 100-year-old HIT, the School of Astronautics will continue to carry on the spirit of spaceflight to write a new chapter for the dream of spaceflight of China. It will continue to forge valiantly ahead toward the world first-class School of Astronautics, along the path of running a university with Chinese characteristics and HIT’s stringent standard.

 

Source: HIT Official WeChat