中国科学院院士、"两弹一星功勋奖章"获得者王希季于8月12日在北京逝世，享年105岁 [1]。作为中国航天事业的开拓者之一，王希季主导了中国航天产业从无到有的关键阶段，为国家独立自主掌握航天技术做出了突出贡献。
王希季在航天领域的成就跨越数十年。1960年，探空火箭T-7M在上海郊外稻田成功发射，王希季担任技术负责人 [1]。他曾将这次发射评价为"他航天事业中第一次也是最重要的一次成功" [1]。随后，他主持了中国首枚卫星运载火箭的总体方案论证设计，在1965年提出了长征一号的技术方案 [1]。这为1970年"东方红一号"卫星的成功发射奠定了基础 [1]。
在返回式卫星研发中，王希季担任总设计师，主导了1975年中国首颗返回式卫星的成功发射与回收，使中国成为世界上第三个掌握卫星返回技术的国家 [1]。这一系列突破性成就得到了国家认可，1999年王希季被授予"两弹一星功勋奖章" [1]。
Wang Xiji, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and recipient of the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Meritorious Award, passed away in Beijing on August 12 at the age of 105.[1] As one of the pioneers of China's aerospace industry, Wang served as the technical director for China's first sounding rocket, the chief designer of the overall plan for the first satellite launch vehicle, and the chief designer of China's first recoverable satellite, making significant contributions to establishing the nation's space program from scratch.[1]
Wang's career was marked by a series of landmark achievements that advanced Chinese spaceflight capabilities. The first sounding rocket, T-7M, was successfully launched from a paddy field in suburban Shanghai in 1960, an accomplishment Wang later described as "the first and most important success in his aerospace career."[1] In 1965, he led the demonstration and design of the overall rocket plan, proposing the technical scheme for the Long March 1 rocket.[1] The maiden Dongfanghong-1 satellite was successfully launched in 1970, followed by China's first recoverable satellite in 1975, making China the world's third nation to master satellite recovery technology.[1] In recognition of his pioneering work, Wang was awarded the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Meritorious Award in 1999.[1]