12 Facts About Wang Xiji

Wang Xiji is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Academy of Astronautics, and was inducted into the International Astronautical Federation Hall of Fame in 2016.

Wang Xiji is a member of the Bai ethnic minority from Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.

Wang Xiji graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of National Southwestern Associated University in 1942, and went to the United States in 1948 to study at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, earning his master's degree in 1949.

In 1958, when Wang Xiji was serving as professor and vice chair of the Department of Engineering Mechanics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, he was abruptly appointed chief engineer of the Shanghai Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.

Wang Xiji later developed 12 types of sounding rockets, including many recoverable and reusable designs.

Wang Xiji subsequently led the design of China's first recoverable satellite, the Jian Bing 1.

When China restarted the Shenzhou program in 1992, Wang Xiji served as a senior supervisor of the project, which succeeded in putting the first Chinese astronaut into orbit in 2003.

In 2002, Wang Xiji chaired a national policy committee that created a report outlining the future directions for the space and missile programs of China.

Wang Xiji was elected an academician of the International Academy of Astronautics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1993.

Wang Xiji was twice conferred the Special Prize of the State Science and Technology Progress Award, in addition to a First Class prize and a Second Class prize.

Wang Xiji was awarded the Ho Leung Ho Lee Prize for science and technology progress.

In 1999, Wang Xiji was awarded the Two Bombs, One Satellite Meritorious Medal.