On the evening of July 21, 2016, Dr. Yongchun Zheng from National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) gave an academic report entitled “Humans into Deep Space” in the Wentian Building at the invitation of School of Space Science and Physics. Some of the teachers, postgraduates, undergraduates and many extramural astrophiles of all ages attended the lecture.

The report started with the news that a Jupiter probe named Juno succeeded in entering its orbit around Jupiter and the movie <Martian Resc.> which showed audience the foreseeable scene of space in the near future. The report could be divided into several parts—various celestial bodies in the solar system and status of the Earth in the universe, followed by the history of space exploration and then the current situation of international commercial space community. Dr. Zheng appealed that we should clearly realize our fate on the Earth and some potential major astronomical disaster such as asteroidal impact, supernova, geomagnetic reversal and etc. that will ruin lives. As to the current situation of international commercial aerospace community, Dr. Zheng gave several examples of famous aerospace companies and noted that the era of low-cost aerospace may be coming and will achieve everyone’s space dream and space industrialization. “Space exploration is the common cause of all mankind and needs dream and passion. There are only two million years of human history and five thousand years of Chinese civilization, and we have the ability to communicate with the outside world until recent decades. It’s our proposition to live on the Earth/in the Solar System for one hundred thousand years”, Dr. Zheng concluded. At last, Dr. Zheng answered the questions of audiences and shared pertinent advices.

Dr. Zheng, lunar and planetary scientist, was involved with Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, Deep Space Exploration and many other national scientific and technologic missions since 2000. He has published 50 papers and 3 books, and won numerous awards such as Meritorious Award for Chinese first lunar exploration program, CAS Dean Award, Outstanding Contribution Award for Chang’e-2 lunar exploration mission, Award of Xiang Jiang Scholars, Excellent member of Youth Innovation Promotion Association, CAS.