Yang Shizhong: A satellite put my life in orbit

Originally published in 2008

"Where there is a will, there is a way."

-Yang Shizhong

Editor's Note: Yang Shizhong, an expert on information transmission of tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) and remote sensing, was born in Chongqing in October 1937. Yang graduated from Chongqing University in 1960. He is now a professor at the same university. In 1997 he was elected a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has long been engaged in teaching and research in the field of electronic technology. He invented the unified pseudonoise spread spectrum TT&C System. He also developed China's first satellite transmission CCD TV remote sensing system.

On April 24, 1970, the first Chinese satellite was launched. The nearest point of the satellite's orbit was 439 kilometers from the earth, and the farthest point was 2,384 kilometers. The satellite orbited the earth every day, 114 minutes a day on average, while transmitting the tune The East Is Red.

Yang Shizhong participated in the research and development of TT&C facilities of the satellite, which measured the satellite's orbit and controlled its functions.

The successful launch was the first highlight of his career.

In 1960, Yang Shizhong graduated with honors from the Electric Machinery Department of Chongqing University, then he was assigned to the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense for research on computers, radiotelegraphy and radar. Before long he and his colleagues were sent to Shanghai and put to work on the research and development of the first man-made satellite.