Spaceship designer runs Olympic torch relay in Changchun
14/7/2008 16:52
Wang Jiaqi, who is in charge of the designing team of the Shenzhou
spaceships, today ran the Olympic torch relay Changchun leg as the first
torchbearer. "At this moment, I am looking forward to the August Games and
our century-old dream of holding a Games will be realized," Wang told Xinhua
after finishing his relay today morning. The 68-year-old Wang, an academician
of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), is well known in Chinese spaceflight
industry. Even before sending the first Chinese astronaut into space with
Shenzhou V in October 2003, Wang and his team had already started working on
Shenzhou VI. Wang said that he shed happy tears when Shenzhou VI returned
safely on October 17, 2005. "I have been longing for the Olympic Games since
I was a child, and I am very honored to be a torchbearer of this event," Wang
said. "Being a torchbearer is an inspiration to me. I wish I could help plant
the spirit and culture of Olympic Games deeply into everyone's mind. "As a
developing country, Chinese spaceflight industry is in an early stage. I think
that we researchers must also have the Olympic spirit in order to help our
nation catch up with the technically advanced countries," Wang
said.
Xinhua
|