China to Launch Satellites for Young PeopleChina will launch two small satellites for young people before the end of this year, said an official from the China Children and Teenagers Fund (CCTF) recently.One of the two satellites will be used exclusively for communication purposes, ranging from message storage and transmission to data collection, and the other will be used for observation purposes, including earth observation and orbit testing, said the CCTF official. The two satellites, donated to the CCTF by a space technology corporation and a research institute in Beijing, will spend at least two years in space. Equipped with radio receivers, transmitters, computer systems and even a global positioning system (GPS), the satellites will ensure Chinese children in the surveillance of forest fires, and the meteorological status and water level of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. The CCTF is raising funds for 300 Children's Palaces across the country to set up earth stations to facilitate children's scientific research. In the meantime, CCTF officials said that young people across the country are invited to name the satellites, and the final selection will be decided by vote in September. A survey shows that most Chinese youngsters hope the satellites ' names will include "Olympiad", to mark Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympics. The CCTF received a joint congratulatory message from some Chinese scientists on the upcoming satellite launching, prior to and after which, a series of activities will be held to promote science and technology among the youngsters. |
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