Reported by: JI Xing
Photographed by: JI Xing
Translated by: WANG Ying
Edited by: Jennifer Taylor
At 12:37 on September 25, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China, the small launch vehicle Kuaizhou sent the micro-satellite Kuaizhou-1 constructed by HIT successfully into space. After drawing a beautiful arc in the vast sky, the satellite entered the preset orbit.
With the continuous development of satellite technology and application, micro-satellite technology has become one of the major hotspots of international competition in high-tech aerospace. Compared with the large satellites, small satellites have the advantages of small size, light weight, low cost, short development cycle and rapid and flexible means of transmission. They are very important in civilian aerospace. The Kuaizhou-1 satellite will be mainly used to monitor natural disasters and provide disaster-relief information for its user, the National Remote Sensing Center of China, a public institution under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Previously in 2004, HIT took the lead in independently developing the satellite Shiyan-1. It was China's first transmission-type small satellite and first experimental digital imaging system capable of stereo Earth-terrain mapping. The satellite was, officially, mainly to be used to carry out a photographic survey of China's land resources, monitor its geographical environment and conduct scientific mapping research. In 2008, our school developed the satellite Shiyan-3, and it was the third technology test satellite and primarily used in testing new technologies of space atmospheric exploration.
As a nationally recognized university that develops satellites, the new micro-satellites developed by HIT have again attracted the world's attention. Three small satellites have sparkled in the sky one after another, fully demonstrating the hidden innovative capability and advantages in universities as well as their capabilities in organization, implementation and quality assurance for major national projects. It fully embodies the advantages universities play working across multiple disciplines, actively confronting major national strategic needs, and their determination and ability to make an important contribution to the national aerospace industry. It also shows that HIT has become an important force in satellite development. According to experts, universities’ participation in satellite development will play a positive role in promoting the development of micro-satellite technology in China and be significant in improving our capability and scope in satellite applications.
Discussions between HIT leaders and the Satellite team.
Chairman of HIT Directors Board WANG Shuquan, President WANG Shuguo and Vice President HAN Jiecai communicating with the satellite testing team.
The satelite team working carefully.
The satellite research team at work.
