China to build library honoring 'father of space technology'

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-06 22:35

BEIJING: China is planning to build a library honoring the country's "father of space technology" Qian Xuesen, who died on October 31 at the age of 98.

The library, which will be built at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where Qian once pursued his study, occupies an area of 7,000 square meters and is expected to have the most comprehensive collection of his works, according to the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Friday.

The library, when completed, will serve as a base of patriotism education, the department said.

To build the library is an important decision made by the CPC Central Committee to honor Qian's outstanding contributions and inspire people's awareness of hard work and pursuit of knowledge and creativity, the department said.

The library will feature Qian's innovative contributions to China's space technology and documents demonstrating his noble ethos and moral integrity.

A blueprint has been formulated and a total of 76,000 pieces of documents and files have been collected.

Also known as Tsien Hsue-shen, Qian was considered to have played a key role in China's missile and aviation programs after the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949.