Chinese space science and technology is ushering in an unprecedented period of great development. In order to strengthen the development of space science and technology in southern China, Harbin Institute of Technology has decided to establish the " Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology(ISSAT) " at Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)on June 20, 2017. The basic goal of ISSAT is to build the institute an applied basic research center with international advanced research level, which is able to undertake major national mission, make important innovations results and create a group of leading talents in space technology .The philosophy of running the institute is: opening up the institute (mechanism), innovation-oriented (core), self-improvement (spirit), walking the road of "government, industry, university, research and application"; the policy of running the institute is to use the power of the whole country, while follow the principle of "openness, cooperation, co-construction and sharing" , grasp the major strategy and make great efforts.The establishment of ISSAT is in accordance with the strategic goal of building a century-old science and technology power, with Shenzhen’s development goal of building a world-class capital of technological innovation and entrepreneurship, and with the needs of technological development and national security in the southern region. This is essential not only for accelerating the integration of space technological innovation, economic and social development,but also for cultivating high-end talents of space technology in Shenzhen .

Currently, ISSAT has 10 laboratories , including: Space Weather Storms Laboratory,Navigation and Remote Sensing Laboratory,Planetary Science Laboratory, Space Plasma Physics Laboratory, Low-latitude Space Environmental Monitoring and Applications Laboratory,Near-space Exploration and Applications Laboratory, Space Big Data Modeling Laboratory, Digital Space Satellites Laboratory,Space Materials Laboratory and Digital Aerospace Environment Military-civilian Integration Laboratory. The institute specializes in digital space,space weather,planetary science, space exploration,satellite navigation, satellite remote sensing, space plasma physics,aircraft design,etc. ISSAT has the right to grant master's and doctoral degrees in Aerospace Science and Technology.

ISSAT is in the “Master + Team” model, it has introduced a group of internationally renowned teachers with strong teaching and researching strength in reasonable age. The institute has a total of 17 full-time teachers ,including 7 professors, 6 associate professors, 4 assistant professors.Most of them has been recognized as high-level talents in Shenzhen, Among these people, there is a member of chinese academy of sciences,2 members from high-level overseas talents,one from the National outstanding youth, one from the National Excellent Youth,and one from the Provincial Teaching Teacher. Besides, there are 4 adjunct professors.The Institute has built a large platform for those space technology elites to display their talents and promote the development of southern space technology.At present, ISSAT has nearly 50 cooperated units,150 co-construction members, more than 20 academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 20 National outstanding youths.

The Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology is currently undertaking more than 60 projects,including:the 13th Five-Year National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure—"Space Environment Foundation Comprehensive Monitoring Network" (referred to the second phase of the Meridian Project), a comprehensive station project of Harbin Institute of Technology(Shenzhen), National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the key field research and development "Quantum Science and Engineering" major project—"Single Photon Atmospheric Radar Key Technology Research" of Guangdong Province , Shenzhen Overseas High-level Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Special Project (Peacock Team) —"Satellite Spectral Remote Sensing Innovation Technology and Industrialization" ,"Macao Science and Technology One Satellite ” project which develops a scalar magnetometer payload.Apart from that , there are many National Natural Science Foundation of China, and other horizontal projects from provincial and municipal science and technology projects, and from enterprises . Ever since the establishment of the institute, it has secured more than 150 million yuan in research funding.

ISSAT hosted the 4th Global Chinese Space Weather Science Conference, the 1st National Digital Space Symposium, the 11th National Space Weather Symposium and the 2nd National Digital Space Strategy Symposium, and other international and domestic conferences.The institute maintain close scientific research cooperation relations with more than ten famous universities and scientific research institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Macau, Hong Kong, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Southern University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, University of Science and Technology of China, Macau University of Science and Technology, Dongfanghonghaite , ZTE and other universities, scientific research institutions and enterprises.