Announced by the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Shenzhen (Changxi/Text Xiang Bixia/Picture), on June 20th, the establishment meeting of the Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology Research (ISSAT) in the Shenzhen campus was held in Qilin Villa. Zhang Hu, the Executive Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen, Han Jiecai, the Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Harbin Institute of Technology, and Tang Jie, the former Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen and Party Secretary of the Campus Construction Office attended the meeting. Wei Fengsi, the academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and dean of ISSAT, introduced the general situation of the institute, and Zhen Liang, assistant to the president of HIT and executive deputy director of the campus preparation office, chaired the meeting.

Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences such as Zeng Qingcun, Xu Houze, Wang Shui, Zhou Chenghu, Chen Xiaofei, Yao Zhenxing, Tao Shu, Ye Jiaan, as well as Wang Yegui, the chief engineer of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army Meteorological, Hydrological and Space Weather Station, and Wang Chi, the deputy director of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, attended the conference. More than 160 representatives of the Shenzhen municipal government and related institutes, distinguished professors of the ISSAT, the science and technology committee and supporting institutes attended the conference as well, including Li Tingzhong, the secretary-general of Shenzhen government, Cai Yu, the deputy director of Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission, Xu Jianling, the deputy director of Shenzhen Education Bureau, Mao Xia, the deputy director of Shenzhen Meteorological Bureau, Liu Mingwei, the director of Shenzhen Supercomputing Center, Shenzhen Climate Observatory Li Xinshuo, the director of Shenzhen meteorological observatory, Zhang Hua, the president of Shenzhen Aerospace Science and Technology Innovation Research Institute.

On behalf of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, Zhang Hu congratulated the establishment of ISSAT. He said that the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Government will provide good conditions for the development of the campus and the ISSAT in Shenzhen, and promote the ISSAT to become a new highland leading the development of space science and technology as soon as possible. He pointed out that in recent years, with the close cooperation between Harbin Institute of Technology and Shenzhen, the Shenzhen campus has achieved rapid development, providing talent and intellectual support for the economic-social development and technological innovation of Shenzhen. The establishment of the ISSAT at the Shenzhen campus is significant for the development of the national space science&technology innovation, for the development of aerospace industry in Shenzhen, and for the construction of the Southern Space Science and Technology Research Center.

Han Jiecai said in his speech that recently, the campus has successfully passed the evaluation of experts from the Ministry of Education, and will set up a separate admission code for undergraduate education, and also officially changed its name to Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen). The establishment of the ISSAT at the Shenzhen campus of HIT will make it a new engine for the Shenzhen campus to achieve important breakthroughs in basic research and to achieve an overall improvement in scientific research strength, and also promote the rapid improvement of the original innovation capabilities of the Shenzhen campus. He said that through the construction of the ISSAT along with the ten related laboratories, HIT will provide a stage for space science and technology elites to display their talents and build a base platform for space technology innovation to promote economic and social development.

Wei Fengsi introduced the purpose, philosophy, goals, structure and tasks of the ISSAT. He introduced that the ISSAT is guided by the concept of openness, innovation-oriented, and self-improvement. It has attracted nearly 70 institutes to participate in cooperation and joint construction, specially hired a large number of top talents, and more than 150 cooperative partners. It aims to promote the development of our country’s space science and applied technology, to enhance our independent innovation capabilities in related fields of space science and applied technology, to accelerate the integration of space technology innovation and economic&social development, and to serve the technology & society progress, the economic development and to contribute to national security.

At the meeting, Major General Wang Yegui and Academician Zeng Qingcun congratulated the establishment of the ISSAT as representatives of the military and civilian guests. Academician Zeng Qingcun said that space science and technology is the field which all countries over the world are competing in. It is the commanding height of national power competition. The country attaches great importance to precision deployment of that space science and technology. The establishment of the ISSAT is just at the right time and moment. He looked forward to concentrating efforts to jointly promote the development of the construction of ISSAT from all institutes. General Wang Yegui said that HIT had been always maintaining aerospace characteristics and advantages, and had contributed a number of backbone forces to the national aerospace industry. The establishment of ISSAT is an effective extension of Harbin Institute of Technology's superior disciplines.

Zhang Hu, Han Jicai, Tang Jie, Wei Fengsi, Wang Shui, and Li Tingzhong launched the opening ceremony of the ISSAT. Zhen Liang announced the list of distinguished professors and members of the Science and Technology Committee of the Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology. The guests at the meeting issued letters of appointment for more than 20 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, including Wang Shui, Tu Chuanyi, Fang Cheng, Ai Guoxiang, Wan Weixing, Ouyang Ziyuan, Zeng Qingcun, Xu Houze, Li Deren, Yao Zhenxing, Chen Yong, Guo Huadong, Gong Jianya, Shi Yaolin, Tao Shu, Yang Yuanxi, Li Chongyin, Mu Mu, Wang Jingsong, Chen Xiaofei, Gurry, Ye Jiaan as distinguished professors of the Academy. Nearly 20 academicians, and more than 20 winners of the National Science Foundation "Outstanding Youth Fund" were appointed as the members of the Science and Technology Committee of the Academy of Space Science and Applied Technology.

At the meeting, the representatives of HIT (Shenzhen) and Wuhan University signed a cooperative joint construction agreement. The two institutes will be working together to promote the development of space science and technology in southern part of the country. They will jointly build our country's low-latitude space environmental monitoring system, seek scientific research projects, effectively carry out cooperative researches, encourage personnel exchanges, share the results of open cooperation, and open "green channels" to encourage scientific and technological personnel from both sides to make more contributions to the development of our country's southern space technology.

Zhang Tielong, Director of the Planetary Science Laboratory of the Academy of Space Science and Applied Technology, Feng Xueshang, Director of the Space Weather Storm Laboratory, Yi Fan, Director of the Near Space Exploration and Application Laboratory, Wang Feng, Director of the Digital Space Satellite Laboratory, and Xu Guochang, Director of the Navigation and Remote Sensing Technology Laboratory gave an overview of each laboratory. The guests at the meeting had a free discussion on the construction and development of the ISSAT as well.

Academician Zeng Qingcun of the Chinese Academy of Sciences congratulates the establishment of the Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology

Leading guests attending the conference unveiled the Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology

Appointment ceremony of distinguished professors and members of the Science and Technology Committee of the Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology

Representatives of the campus and Wuhan University signed a cooperation agreement

Conference scene

Group photo