Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2004

Astronaut Yang Liwei Encourages CUHK to ‘Reach out to the World' A stronaut Yang L i we i, the astronaut w h o commanded China's first manned space flight, received a w a r m welcome i n the Shaw College Lecture Theatre where hundreds of eager students and staff gathered to listen to his talk on China's space p r o g r amme and on life as an astronaut on 10th December 2004, a day after he was conferred the degree of Science, honoris causa, b y the Un i v e r s i t y. As a t o k en of thanks, he p r e s e n t ed the U n i v e r s i ty w i t h a m o d e l of Shenzhou-5, the spacecraft w h i ch took h i m to space. Dr. Yang hopes that, like the spacecraft, the Un i v e r s i ty w o u l d reach out to the w o r l d and beyond. Dr. Yang gave an account of China's manned space-flight programme and its significance, as we ll as the hardships he encountered and h ow t h e y w e r e o v e r c ome. He emp h a s i z ed t he importance of having had confidence in himself and in the technical staff helping him. Dr. Yang also painted a bright picture of the future of China's space programme. Forthcoming plans include launching Shenzhou-6 and Shenzhou- 7, a nd the b u i l d i n g of a space s t a t i on. He encouraged the students to take CUHK 's many space-related courses and contribute directly or i n d i r e c t ly to Ch i n a 's ma n n ed s p a c e - f l i g ht programme. Dr. Yang autographing his gift to the University — a model of Shenzhou-5 News in Brief 61