On the morning of July 5, the School of Future Aerospace Technology held the Fifth Anniversary Innovation and Development Conference and the Book Launch Ceremony for Interstellar Travel and Exploration at the Vision Plaza. Approximately 150 participants attended the event, including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)— Wu Weiren, Yin Zeyong, Fan Bangkui, Feng Dengguo, Wang Chi, Jiang Bitao, and Cao Jinbin; Secretary of the CPC Beihang University Committee Zhao Changlu; Vice Presidents of Beihang University Lyu Jinhu, Deng Yi, Wu Jianghao, and Yan Xiaojun; officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the China National Space Administration, the Deep Space Exploration Lab, and Science Press; faculty and student representatives from Beihang and other universities; as well as teacher and student representatives from 10 secondary schools. The conference was chaired by Wu Jianghao.

Five Years of Groundbreaking: From Pioneering Exploration to a Benchmark Model

On behalf of the university, Zhao Changlu extended a warm welcome to all guests present and expressed sincere congratulations to Academician Wu Weiren and the contributing authors. He noted that as one of the first 12 future technology schools nationwide, the School of Future Aerospace Technology focuses on major national demands in the aerospace field, daring to pioneer as an "experimental zone for institutional reform," thereby forging a new path for the independent cultivation of top-tier innovative talent.

Standing at the new starting point of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Zhao proposed three points for the School: first, uphold the mission of "born to serve national strategies," and translate national strategic needs into dynamic scenarios that integrate talent development with scientific and technological innovation; second, maintain the reformist spirit of "daring to be the first," and truly become the intellectual birthplace and the practical forerunner of higher engineering education reform; third, strive for the ideal of "cultivating masters through masters," bring together more strategic scientists, chief engineers, and leading scholars, and pass down the scientific spirit, patriotic dedication, and engineering philosophy through generations. The university will, as always, fully support the School in its pioneering and experimental efforts in future-oriented technological innovation and talent cultivation model reform, contributing greater strength to building a strong nation.

Five Years of Shared Progress: Teachers and Students Marching Forward Together

Wu Weiren, Yan Xiaojun, together with Cao Qinghua, Executive Dean of the School, Jiang Yanling, Party Secretary of the School, and student representatives, jointly released the Five-Year Development Report of the School of Future Aerospace Technology, which encapsulates the School's development endeavors and talent cultivation achievements. Student representatives presented flowers to the academicians to express their high respect for their dedicated involvement in the School's development and talent cultivation.

Pan Bo, Deputy Director of the Intelligent Systems Institute at the Satellite Application Innovation Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, representing industry mentors; Shi Peng, Deputy Dean of the School of Future Aerospace Technology, representing on-campus mentors; and Yang Qinzhe, a representative of the first cohort of students, delivered speeches respectively, sharing their insights from five years of educational practice and personal growth.

Foundation Establishment: Pooling Synergies for Talent Cultivation

Wu Jianghao announced the official establishment of the "Future Aerospace Talent Development Foundation." Operating under the Beihang Education Foundation, the foundation aims to broadly pool social resources to specifically support student scientific innovation and practice, international exchanges, merit scholarships, and curriculum development. Four initial donors signed agreements on-site with Wu Ruilin, Secretary-General of the Beihang Education Foundation, and completed the donation handover.

Monograph Launch: An Academic Masterwork for Deep-Space Future Endeavors

The Book Launch Ceremony for Interstellar Travel and Exploration was held concurrently. Wu Weiren systematically introduced the background, compilation process, main contents, and future prospects of the monograph, expressing the hope that this comprehensive work — which systematically elaborates on the fundamental theories, scientific issues, key technologies, engineering missions, and development trends related to interstellar travel — would serve not only as a teaching and research reference for university faculty and students as well as aerospace professionals, but also open the door for general readers to explore aerospace and interstellar space.

Wu Weiren, Wang Chi, Lyu Jinhu, and industry representative Shi Pingyan jointly unveiled the new book. Wang Chi and Yu Ding from Science Press delivered introductory presentations.

Wu Weiren presented signed copies of the monograph to relevant Beihang University departments, student representatives from the 10 secondary schools, and the Beihang University Library, with Deng Yi presenting a collection certificate on behalf of the university.

The School of Future Aerospace Technology, established in July 2021, is one of the first 12 future technology schools approved by the Ministry of Education. Focusing on major national demands and the needs of human development in the aerospace field, and targeting cutting-edge, revolutionary, and disruptive technologies over the next 10–15 years, the School adheres to innovation-driven development, strengthens the integration of aerospace, information technology, and related disciplines, deepens the integration of science and education as well as industry and education, explores new paradigms in higher engineering education, and cultivates future technological innovators and outstanding engineers.

Five years mark both a milestone and a new starting point. The School of Future Aerospace Technology will continue to deepen its independent cultivation system for top-tier talent, focus on national needs and the global frontiers of aerospace science and technology, and forge ahead with renewed vigor toward the grand vision of building a powerful country in education and achieving self-reliance in science and technology.

Editor: Liu Tingting