Sun Jiadong

Sun Jiadong (Chinese: 孙家栋; 1929 - ) is a Chinese scientist and an expert in missile and man-made satellite. He has long served as a leader of Chinese man-made satellite projects, and is currently the chief designer of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program.

Sun was born in Fuxian, Liaoning Province, and graduated from Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy in Soviet Union in 1958. After returning to China, he served in the Fifth Research Institute of Ministry of National Defense, doing research of missiles. During Cultural Revolution, the early leaders of Chinese man-made satellite project, Zhao Jiuzhang and Qian Ji, were sacked, and Sun was appointed as the chief scientist of the satellite project. On April 24, 1970, the first Chinese space satellite, Dong Fang Hong I, was successfully launched. In 1971, "Shi Jian I" satellite took off. In 1975, China's first returning satellite was successfully launched. In 1984, China's first synchronized experimental communication satellite, Dong Fang Hong II was launched. Sun was the chief designer of all of them.

Sun was awarded the prestigious "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Achievement Medal in 1999. Since 2003, he has been the chief designer of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP).