Chen Dingchang (1937.)1.30-2020.9.7) Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, expert in China's first-class system overall, air defense and anti-missile and guidance radar technology, the main founder and pioneer in the field of precision guidance in China, the practitioner, pioneer and planner of air defense system research and three generations of air defense equipment, has made a number of major scientific research achievements, and has made significant contributions to China's national defense. Today (January 30) is the birthday of Academician Chen Dingchang, let us remember Academician Chen together.
Looking back on his decades of aerospace career, he once humbled himself that he was not ahead of his thinking, but liked to proceed from the overall situation and consider the overall interests of the country when considering problems. "My greatest pursuit in life is to do more work on the realization of the 'Chinese Dream'. ”
Chen Dingchang, who always stands at the forefront of the times and has advanced thinking, has spent his life chasing dreams to realize his dreams, promoting the construction of China's air and space defense system, and opening a new chapter in the construction of China's air and space defense forces. His spirit of dedication to serving the country, daring to be the first, pioneering and innovating and selfless dedication is worthy of memory and learning from future generations.
Abandon literature and reason to devote himself to national defense
In January 1937, Chen Dingchang was born in Shanghai, and in November of the same year, Shanghai fell, and Chen Dingchang's family fled to Yangzhou, Jiangsu. Since his youth, Chen Dingchang, who suffered the pain of the destruction of the country and the death of his family, has been determined to serve the country and is determined to "devote himself to national defense when he grows up, so that Chinese will no longer be bullied."
Chen Dingchang, who was high-spirited when he was young.
In order to realize the dream of becoming a powerful country in science and technology, Chen Dingchang resolutely gave up his favorite literature and chose science. In 1957, he was sent to the Preparatory Department for Studying in the Soviet Union in Beijing with excellent results, and then, due to the unilateral cancellation of the Soviet Union's quota for studying in the Soviet Union, more than 500 students directly entered domestic universities, of which more than 300 entered Tsinghua University and more than 200 entered Peking University. According to the application intention, Chen Dingchang entered the Department of Radio Electronics of Tsinghua University and started a new university life.
After graduating from the Department of Radio Electronics of Tsinghua University, Chen Dingchang was assigned to work in the Second Branch of the Fifth Academy of the Ministry of National Defense. Since then, Chen Dingchang has become associated with aerospace and began his legendary life of chasing the dream of aerospace missiles.
Chen Dingchang in front of the yurt.
Overcome obstacles with innovation as a sharp edge
In the early 60s of the 20th century, laser technology began to appear. Qian Xuesen proposed: Can the laser be a signal source, like radio, and can also be used for a variety of detection and guidance applications? This "laser question" was finally handed over to Chen Dingchang.
After several months of data research and research, Chen Dingchang gave two reports, affirming that laser is indeed a direction. After listening to the report, Qian Xuesen decided on the spot, "In aerospace, it is necessary to put lasers and radios in the same position to develop." As a result, the pre-research task became a pre-research project.
Because lidar has just started in the world and the stakes are very high, Qian Xuesen personally presided over this work, so the Seventh Machinery Department, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other three units jointly tackled key problems, and Chen Dingchang, who was in his twenties, was appointed as the project leader. In order for the project to be tested as soon as possible, Chen Dingchang has to run five or six units a day, as if he has endless energy. This work made Chen Dingchang deeply aware that science is to innovate, and only by not being afraid of difficulties can we make a difference.
In the end, the LiDAR project achieved promising results. The project built the world's first lidar prototype, broke through the limitations of the "four scientific principles" with detailed and accurate test data, and developed China's first fully reflective lidar, which is many years ahead of the Lincoln Laboratory in the United States.
The outstanding performance of the LiDAR project is only the initial manifestation of Chen Dingchang's forward-looking vision and innovative courage. After serving as Chief Scientist in 1996, Chen Dingchang took the lead in deepening the research on the development strategy of the field and put forward new goals. On the one hand, he went deep into the front line, led the team to use the methods of aerospace system engineering to sort out the goals, sort out the key technologies, and continuously shorten the gap with the goals through experiments; On the one hand, he tried his best to win the support of all parties, and even signed a "military order". The leaders fully affirmed his scientific ideas and the fruitful research of him and his team, believing that "it is technically feasible and very important", which gave them great encouragement.
Chen Dingchang believes that innovation should focus on key technologies, ways and methods, to aim at the next ten or twenty years, we must stand at the forefront of the times, have a forward-looking, to grasp the key technology research, key technology integration, in order to develop more sophisticated equipment. His guiding ideology has maintained the superiority of technology and has also enabled the cause of air and space defense in which he is engaged to enter the fast lane of development.
In 1992, Chen Dingchang (first from left) discussed problems with Academician Huang Weilu (third from left), Xu Naiming (second from left), and Wang Shanghu (first from right) at the test base.
Character and learning, and willingness to be a ladder
Chen Dingchang has always taken "regardless of gains and losses, selfless dedication" as his life motto. In the face of achievements, consider the contributions of others more, and in the face of failures, try to consider your own responsibilities. He has always stood on the strategic high plane of successors in China's aerospace industry, paid attention to the cultivation and bold use of young talents, and used his profound knowledge, rich experience, and advanced thinking to escort the younger generation of commanders and train a large number of scientific and technological experts who are worthy of important tasks. He has successively trained more than 20 national key model chief engineers, deputy chief engineers, more than 10 academician co-optation candidates and a large number of technical backbones, which has led and driven the development of more than 30 units of related specialties and strongly supported the construction of China's modern equipment.
In his old age, Chen Dingchang still cares about the aerospace industry, provides valuable experience for the construction and development of the aerospace industry as a senior adviser to the Science and Technology Commission, and provides suggestions for the strategic planning of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the development of various models and the cultivation of talents. In the Science and Technology Committee of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, one of the most important tasks done by Chen Dingchang is to preside over the research on the group's development strategy. He presided over the research on the development strategy of supporting professional technology for the development of aerospace models before 2020 of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, participated in the development strategy research of national defense technology and advanced equipment before 2030, and made great contributions to the development of advanced equipment of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, and his important role is becoming increasingly apparent.
*: Synthesized from "China Aerospace News"**
China Aerospace Science and Technology Commission.
Science and technology**"***China Aerospace Science and Industry Second Academy"**