Space Technology in Daily Use
China Today (English)|June 2021
WHEN thinking of space technology, what pops into many Chinese people’s minds are the Long March carrier rocket, Chang’e lunar probe, Shenzhou spacecraft or Fengyun meteorological satellite, all of which are very far removed from everyday life. However, on closer examination, the technologies behind these aerospace machines are now being used in people’s day-to-day activities, bringing greater convenience and efficiency as they are to become part of humanity’s future.
DANG XIAOFEI
Space Technology in Daily Use

Saving Time in Travel

During the Labor Day holiday, Liu Qiang, a resident of Beijing, and his family drove to the countryside to do some hiking. Before starting the car, he turned on its navigation system and typed in his destination. In a second, the optimal route appeared on the screen, allowing him to avoid the congested traffic sections. This navigation service is supported by the BeiDou satellite system, or BDS, which is independently developed and deployed by China. BDS now provides accurate positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services under all weather conditions to people worldwide. Starting in 1994 with BDS-1 and up to 2020 with BDS-3, the system was completed after the launching of 59 satellites, including 55 navigation satellites and four navigation test satellites.

“When connected to the BeiDou navigation system, my car will sound an alarm when I deviate from the set route, Overspeed, and overload. This makes driving smarter and safer,” Liu told China Today. The BDS services are critical to the development of smart vehicles, as accurate positioning is the basis for context recognition of such vehicles and data collection for high-precision maps.

As the sun’s rays became stronger, Liu put on the smart glasses he recently bought, which can automatically change lens color according to the intensity of sunlight. Such smartness comes from another aspect of space technology — gallium arsenide solar cells, which are also originally used in satellites. These cells turn light into electricity, and thereby power the chip in the sunglasses to induce color-changing of the light-sensitive liquid crystal lens.

Bu hikaye China Today (English) dergisinin June 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye China Today (English) dergisinin June 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

CHINA TODAY (ENGLISH) DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
A City with Vision for the Future
China Today (English)

A City with Vision for the Future

LOCATED on the edge of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at one of the farthest points in China from the sea, stands a city that began to embrace its great economic takeoff just 10 years ago.

time-read
5 dak  |
August 2021
Setting out on the Great Rejuvenation
China Today (English)

Setting out on the Great Rejuvenation

THE centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was marked by a grand gathering held on July 1 at Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square.

time-read
10+ dak  |
August 2021
A Similar History Has United Us
China Today (English)

A Similar History Has United Us

— Interview with Carlos Miguel Pereira, Ambassador of Cuba to China

time-read
10+ dak  |
August 2021
The CPC's 100 Years of “Routine Miracles”
China Today (English)

The CPC's 100 Years of “Routine Miracles”

AT a grand ceremony commemorating the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square on July 1, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, solemnly declared the completion of building China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the country’s first centenary goal.

time-read
4 dak  |
August 2021
An Open Xinjiang with Multi-Ethnic Beliefs
China Today (English)

An Open Xinjiang with Multi-Ethnic Beliefs

SINCE ancient times, Xinjiang has been a region where ethnic groups live together, religious beliefs are diversified, and many cultures coexist. Primitive religion and Shamanism were initially prevalent in the region.

time-read
5 dak  |
August 2021
Xinjiang in My Eyes
China Today (English)

Xinjiang in My Eyes

ON May 24, 2021, I boarded a flight to Urumqi from Beijing with a group of Chinese and foreign journalists to learn more about Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a vast territory that is home to many ethnic groups and diverse cultures. The visit has left me with lasting memories and a deeper understanding of the people and the region as a whole.

time-read
6 dak  |
August 2021
Stability and Development Are the Strongest Evidences of Human Rights
China Today (English)

Stability and Development Are the Strongest Evidences of Human Rights

OVER the past months hostile elements in certain Western countries have trumped-up charges against China concerning human rights in Xinjiang, spreading lies about “forced labor,” “genocide,” and “religious oppression” in the region.

time-read
6 dak  |
August 2021
BRI Nexus Promoting Multilateralism in a Post-Pandemic World
China Today (English)

BRI Nexus Promoting Multilateralism in a Post-Pandemic World

BORN of centuries-long interactions between China and other civilizations along the ancient Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) appears as the quintessential manifestation of multilateralism on the world stage since the Second World War which was, sad to say, one of quite a different kind.

time-read
4 dak  |
August 2021
Tourism Boosts Rural Revitalization in Ili
China Today (English)

Tourism Boosts Rural Revitalization in Ili

THEY say you never know how big China is until you come to Xinjiang, and never know how beautiful Xinjiang is until you come to Ili.

time-read
6 dak  |
August 2021
Xinjiang's Cotton Industry Gets Smart
China Today (English)

Xinjiang's Cotton Industry Gets Smart

LOCATED in the northwest of China, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region boasts long hours of sunshine and ample water for irrigation — making the region geographically ideal for growing cotton. Cotton grown in Xinjiang, which has good coloration and long fiber, is favored in both domestic and foreign markets.

time-read
4 dak  |
August 2021