36 th COSPAR Scientific Assembly Held in Beijing

The opening ceremony for the 36 th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) was held in Beijing on July 17. This is the first time that such Assembly has ever been held in China. The theme of the 2006 Assembly was focused on discussions of the latest developments in various fields of the space science and technology, exchanges of updated research achievements as well as support rendered on international cooperation in this domain.

At the beginning of the opening ceremony of the Assembly, Lu Yongxiang, President of CAS read the letter of congratulations from Chinese President Hu Jintao to the Assembly.

Zeng Peiyan, Vice Premier of the State Council, Prof. R. M. Bonnet, President of COSPAR , Jiang Mianheng, Vice President of CAS and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the 36 th COSPAR Scientific Assembly and other leaders were present and addressed the ceremony.

The Assembly brought together hundreds of space scientists from more than 50 space research institutions across the world. Also present at the Assembly were officers from the worldwide major space agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency, (ESA), Russian Space Agency ROSCOSMOS, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and China National Space Administration (CNSA), as well as representatives from some international scientific organizations that involve in the space related research.

Kunming Ground Station for Lunar Exploration Program Completed

The construction of a 40-meter antenna at the Kunming Station of the Ground Application System for the Lunar Exploration Program (dubbed Chang'e Program) has recently been completed. It passed the acceptance check on July 16. The station was built by the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, CAS as a component of the Chang'e Program to receive and record data from a moon probe satellite. It will also form a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) network, together with other stations in Miyun of Beijing, Urumchi of Xinjiang and Sheshan of Shanghai, for a satellite's precise location.