China Successful in Satellite Application: OfficialA multi-function and multi-purpose satellite application network has been established, said a spaceflight official on May 9.Addressing the Forum On Satellite Remote Sensing Application and Development which is part of the Beijing High-Tech Week, Sun Laiyan, vice minister of the State Aerospace Administration, said that China has successfully launched some 40 self-developed satellites over the past several decades. China also developed nine Changzheng (Long March) carrier rockets and launched 60 of them since October of 1996. "Since China entered the world satellite launching market in 1985, Changzheng rockets have launched 25 foreign satellites into space, " the official said. Official figures show that there are nearly 10,000 researchers working for more than 400 institutes involved in satellite remote sensing fields. Satellite-assisted weather forecast saves millions of dollars every year, the official figure said. According to Sun, satellites also help more than 30 million people receive education or training via the radio. "In the near future, China will send its own astronauts into space," he said, adding that China is also willing to improve its cooperation with other countries in space exploration. Today's forum was organized by the Beijing Council of Trade Promotion and the China Association of Remote Sensing Application. |
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