Representatives of the Astronomical Observatory spent the early fall in the Chinese cities of Huangshan and Beijing, where they participated in a series of significant events in the field of space science and established collaboration of great importance for our country with elite international institutions.
At the 2nd International Deep Space Exploration Conference – Tiandu Forum held in Huangshan, Dr. Luka Popović, the director of the Observatory and its representative in China, signed a memorandum of cooperation for setting up experiments on the Moon with the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), which was also the organizer of this year’s conference.
The signing of this document, significant for Serbia, took place during the opening ceremony of the conference. Dr. Popović was among the few privileged participants invited to give a lecture at the event, which he presented under the title "The Role of Quasars (Black Holes) in Deep Space Research."
During the conference, an agreement was reached between Dr. Popović, Deputy Director of DSEL Hua Zhaobin, and Director of International Cooperation Wang Zhaoming for a meeting scheduled for October, during which additional details of the scientific cooperation between Serbia and China would be solidified.
Dr. Popović also gave a brief interview for Global Chinese Television, which can be found at this link.
Another key event was the participation of the Observatory at the 3rd International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) workshop, which was an invitation-only event. Alongside Dr. Popović, Igor Planjanin, an engineer in the Space Research and Technology Unit at the Astronomical Observatory, also represented the Serbian delegation.
At the workshop, Dr. Popović presented the work of the Observatory as a scientific institution, as well as the potential of Serbian faculties and institutes in space research and technologies.
In Beijing, the Serbian delegation also participated in a meeting at the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and established cooperation with its division, DFH Satellite Co. (DFHSat), responsible for the development of smaller satellites.
The meeting began with a presentation and discussion of the newly approved bilateral project between the Astronomical Observatory and DFHSat, which was introduced by Prof. Tian Tan, the Chinese leader of this project.
Another meeting took place at the National Astronomical Observatory of China, an impressive institution employing over 3,000 astronomers. During this occasion, Dr. Popović once again gave a presentation on the Astronomical Observatory, its work, and significance.
The visit of the Serbian delegation to China concluded with discussions about the cooperation between the two countries on lunar station projects and the potential involvement of Serbia in building a telescope on the Moon, intended for observations in the optical and infrared domains.
