Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen (钱学森), who is known as the father of China’s space technology program, and arguably its first atomic bomb, died in Beijing yesterday, aged 98. The Voice of America (VoA) also notes the pre-pinyin Latin spelling of his name, which used to be Tsien Hsue-shen, and gives a short biography of his life.
Chinese Chief State Councillor Wen Jiabao (温家宝) had paid a visit to Qian in August. At the time, Qian was apparently at reasonably good health for his age, and in a good mood (Jiefang Daily, first photo).
His life was closely connected with Shanghai’s Jiaotong University (交通大学), writes Jiefang Daily. He studied at the university’s faculty of mechanical engineering from 1929 to 1934, and was awarded a Outstanding Friends of the University Lifetime Achievement Reward (杰出校友终身成就奖) in April this year, as Jiaotong University celebrated the 113th anniversary of its foundation.
From 1935, Qian studied mathematics and aviation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology. According to a Wikipedia entry, he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1949, but decided to return to China after being suspected of being a communist. After five years of arrests and house arrests in America, he was deported to China in 1955. In 1958, he joined the CCP, and was put in charge of developing ballistic missiles.
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