China's S&T Strength Stabilized
In 2002, China's S&T competitiveness ranked the 25th place in the world. Viewed from its ratings in the last few years, China basically wanders between the 25-28th places, which have reflected China's stable S&T development in the world. The said finding is the conclusion reached by the Annual Report of International Competitiveness prepared by China Science and Technology R&D Promotion Center. The Report studied the annual reports since 1986 on the economic competitiveness of major countries published by the Switzerland based Lausanne International Institute of Management and Development. Mainland China was officially listed as an evaluation target from 1994 and the countries and regions that were placed under the evaluations by the Institute in 2002 reached 49 in number.
The Center has, through the analysis and evaluation of the individual indicators, concluded that China's data have shown a relatively advanced rating in terms of overall strength but with its average indicators and overall evaluation level in rather a rear position, which is the common phenomenon shared by most large developing nations. For example, China has seen a fast growth of its R&D budget from the 19th place in 1996 to the 9th in 2002, while its per capita R&D budget deploring its last but six place (43rd). In addition, China's per capita R&D budget growth is lower than the countries that are close to China in ranking. In 1999- China's per capita R&D budget ranked the 40th place and in 2002 it went down to 43rd place. China's S&T human resources have suffered similar pattern retreating from the second place in terms of its total S&T personnel number to the 34th place when coming to per capita term.
China's Shenzhou IV Called Success
On the early morning of December 30, 2002, China's Shenzhou ('Divine Vessel') IV was sent into space orbit by a Long March II F rocket. Compared with the previous three runs of the series testing flights, Shenzhou IV aims at working on a most comprehensive unmanned flight experiment. Numerous major systems such as control and communication, spacecraft and carrier rocket, launching site, major landing site and back-up landing site, astronauts and both land and sea based rescue system are supposed to stand their tests and verification.
The spacecraft has been modified to make it a more comfortable place for astronauts to live and work in. In addition, the spacecraft will work on a number of space experiments, astronaut system, spacecraft environment control and life supporting sub-systems, and further verify environmental parameters for manned spacecraft. It was briefed that a number of land and sea emergency rescue zones were set up, and rescue workers conducted trial rescue operations for manned flights.
Shenzhou IV Safely Returned
At 19:16, January 5, 2003, Beijing local time, Shenzhou IV made its accurate landing in the middle part of Inner Mongolia after fulfilling its prescribed space science and technology experiments and mission. The landing has heralded the complete success of China's fourth experimental flight of its spacecraft.
Launched on early morning of December 30, 2002, the spacecraft made 108 rounds of journey surrounding the earth in its scheduled 6-day-and-18-hour flight. In the course of the experimental flight, four space flight measuring vessels distributed over three oceans and other relevant ground stations exercised their consecutive tracking, measuring and control over the spacecraft under the unified instructions of Beijing based Space Commanding and Control Center. The spacecraft successfully performed a hundred and more actions such as opening solar cell board, in-orbit movement and attitude adjusting while making its orbit changed once and stilling itself paused in the orbit for twice.
Shenzhou IV is China's third prototype for unmanned spacecraft. It has the technical design exactly identical to that of the manned spacecraft, though without man's presence in this flight. Many major systems for manned flights such as the application system, the astronaut system, and the environment control and life supporting system were part of this experimental flight. The spacecraft accomplished a number of space studies on ground observation, material science, life science, space astronomy and space environment exploration.
In the meantime, Chinese astronaut candidates entered the spacecraft for a physical feel before the launch. The spacecraft demonstrated smooth performance of its onboard instruments and equipment and collected rich experimental and scientific data.
China's Unique Space Medical Study
Mr. Su Shuangning, head in charge of the astronaut system under China's manned space flight project expressed recently that so far China has established its own manned space flight related medical engineering system with the research level and major technical capacity reaching the world first level, enjoying unique advantages.
While working on space related medical studies, Chinese scientists have consistently taken spacecraft environment and astronauts as a whole by linking astronauts' physical and mental health with engineering effects. For example, scientists have made the size of the onboard instruments, the color of the illumination system and the working and living facilities agreeable to astronauts' personal demands, which will not only make astronauts feel comfortable to work but will also improve their working efficiency, producing positive effects on ensuring astronauts' mental and physical health and improving the flight safety.
Chinese space medical engineering researchers have also tried Chinese traditional medicines in readjusting astronauts' blood circulation system in their training. The clinic tests have shown that traditional medicines are of apparent effects on improving astronauts' cardio-cerebral system, brain nerve system, digestion system and emotion. In the meantime, Chinese scientists studied the effects of traditional medicines on resisting the changes in osteoblast microstructures under gravity loss environment, which has attracted the attention of international community in the field.
Chinese scientists have also developed space food and the onboard environment control and life supporting system on their own. They have made physiological studies and analysis under gravity loss environment and achieved unique findings. It is briefed that Chinese scientists have found the solutions to the collection, transmission and processing of onboard astronauts' physiological data and information, which enable people in the ground station to keep watch of astronauts' health conditions in orbit.
China's Spacecraft Landing System Developed
Zhao Jun, head in charge of the landing system under China's manned space flight project disclosed recently that China has basically worked out its spacecraft landing system, which is able to ensure the timely discovering and retrieving of the returned cabin with proven rescuing capability for landing astronauts.
In the fourth launch of its Shenzhou spacecraft, China for the first time put into operation the land and sea based emergency rescuer searching sub-system during the spacecraft ascending phase and deployed rescuing lifeboats and helicopters over the marine rescuing zone. In addition, the spacecraft was equipped with a sophisticated return cabin that is able to drift over the sea surface for rescue under rough sea conditions.
Accurate Space Positioning
As is disclosed by Shanghai Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the distance measuring data obtained by the latest flight of the Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou series have reached a high accuracy at one centimeter level, a great improvement of 1000 times in accuracy against its previous records. It is briefed that Chinese scientists installed the so-called space mirror, a laser reflector of a diameter of 20cm and a weight of 0.8 kg at the spacecraft's base.
The reflector works on the principle that an accurate satellite measurement can be obtained through calculating the round trip time from the ground laser impulse to the onboard laser reflector. With the help of the onboard GPS system and the S-band speed and distance measuring devices, Chinese scientists have obtained accurate data on the satellite's position and orbit.
New Results from Space Plant Experiment
The researchers of Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiological and Ecological Research subordinated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently told reporters that China's Shenzhou IV Spacecraft had made experiments on plant cell electrofusion with its onboard experimental device for carrying out the researches in life science. The experiment result has shown that the target cells have recorded a 10% electrofusion, or 10 times higher than those of the ground comparison group with a cell survival rate reaching 50% and more, also 15% better than the ground group.
The experiment has resulted in the survival of thousands electrofused plant cells that are now staying in brooder for further culturing. Scientists expressed that these cells would grow out roots and leaves in 3 months. By that time people can make the judgment whether or not they are the products of such electrofusion through molecular and biological means.
The cell electrofusion experiment is a project that Chinese scientists have been working on to produce new species. Up to date China has developed relatively mature ground cell electrofusion techniques and worked out the plants produced by two electrofused tobaccos. The new tobacco electrofusion experiment made in the spacecraft will expect the birth of new tobacco plants in about six months and by that time the results of this comparison study will be unveiled.
The World First New Condenser
On December 26, 2002, the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation disclosed that on the basis of their 15-year painstaking efforts, Prof. Wu Yuyuan of Xi'an Jiaotong University and others had landed major breakthroughs in the theoretical study of the heat transmission mechanism of condenser and for the first time in the world discovered the new mechanism of cycle-like flow boiling heat enhancement and new mechanism of disorderly flow fluid film condensing heat transmission enhancement. On the basis of these new theories, Prof. Wu and others invented the new condenser evaporator with cycle-like flow, the first of its kind in the world. The new condenser evaporator designed under the new heat transmission mechanism has recorded a boiling heat transmission coefficient 59 times higher than that rendered by regular pipe-array heat exchangers with the lowest temperature difference in heat transmission among similar products in the world. With an improved design indicator by 50% against similar products both at home and abroad, the finding was granted with the Second Prize of National Technology Invention Award for 2001.
China's First Agrochemical Roadmap
On January 12, 2003, the Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources announced that Zhejiang Province, the province who has made the first agricultural geological environment survey at provincial level in the country, has worked out China's first regional chemical element distribution chart. The nationwide chemical element distribution chart that is in the process of preparation at present will constitute an important scientific evidence for the future agricultural planning of the nation.
As of the end of 2002, Zhejiang Province had completed the sampling over an area of 10,000km2 in its northern section and obtained 16, 681 soil samples. The scientists in the Province have made analysis of the total amount of chemical elements, their effective status and organic pollutants and obtained 380,000 analyzing data. With the help of the computer technology, they have worked out the geochemical chart composed of 130 smaller regional charts, the first of its kind serving agricultural purpose in Chinese history.
The element chart has given a clear picture of the distribution of 52 chemical elements over the northern section of the Province. In addition, it marked out the sites that are polluted by heavy metals and DDT. Experts expressed that people may by simply clicking the chart get access to multiple indictor based environment evaluation, prediction for element accumulation as well as current distribution of surface crops. With the help of the chart, people can easily tell whether or not a crop is suitable to grow in an area they desire.
The chart also sets off the alarm for heavy metal pollution and apparently accelerated accumulation of hazardous elements. The chart divided the Province into 6 regions in terms of their soil quality as shown by element data. It is briefed that the distribution and volume of 52 elements in the soil have a decisive impact on crops' growth. The chart has for the first time given a clear illustration of the geochemical background of the northern section of the Province and its geochemical properties, which provides the latest data and scientific evidence for agricultural production planning and studies of agricultural produces and farming environment.
China's Basic Study Website
On January 10, 2003, a website devoted to China's basic scientific studies (www.br.gov.cn) was put into operation. Sponsored by the Dept. of Basic Studies of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the website provides information from governmental sources on the latest developments of China's basic studies, human resources, infrastructures construction and international cooperation in the field. Up to date, the website has opened nearly 20 columns such as policies and regulations, administrative affairs guidance, planning, disciplinary development and basic study review. In addition the website is supposed to provide the following services: 1) provide information support for S&T authorities' management and decision-making process, while supporting online S&T planning, projects and human resources management, improving the management and decision-making level in the field of basic studies and promoting the development of e-government; 2) provide scientists with status, progress and policies of Chinese basic studies and the latest development of the basic studies all over the world, promoting information distribution and utilization and academic exchanges in the field of basic studies and 3)demonstrate the achievements and progresses of China's basic studies before the public and make it a window through which popular scientific knowledge can be diffused.
China's First Fuel Batter Auto—Super I
On January 11, 2003, a futurist prototype car named Super I made its smooth debut on the campus of Tongji University. Driven by hydrogen fuel battery, the car only discharges purified water without any tail gas that may harm the environment.Electric motor vehicle is one of the most important S&T projects listed by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology in the 10th Five-Year Plan period. Of this dedicated project, fuel battery car enjoys the top priority as its development will lead to a brand new revolution in the world car manufacturing industry.
At the end of 2001, the fuel battery car development project was assigned to a joint R&D group made up of a dozen of enterprises, universities and research institutions in Shanghai including Shanghai Auto and Tongji University. A fuel battery auto system company was also created for the purpose. It is briefed that Super I has passed the annual evaluation organized by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology on major dedicated projects with its technical indicators reaching the desired requirements. The fuel battery car is scheduled to make its appearance before the world in Beijing Olympic Game in 2008 and Shanghai World Expo in 2010.
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