BEIJING – In December 2024, under the warm winter sun, Alliance Institute entrepreneurs visit Beijing Aerospace Control Center, the sacred site of China's manned spaceflight industry. Themed "Explore the stars," aimed to deepen understanding of national strategic technological forces and experience the spirit of manned spaceflight.
Beijing Aerospace Control Center is China's first modern flight control center with globally advanced monitoring and control capabilities. It also serves as the cradle for selecting and training Chinese astronauts. Around 8 a.m, Alliance Institute entrepreneurs arrived at this aerospace hub nestled at the foot of the Western Hills. Upon entering the complex, they were immediately immersed in a powerful atmosphere of scientific research and rigorous work ethic. Their first stop was the Astronaut Training Base, known as the "cradle of Chinese astronauts."
Guided by a center expert, the students observed the astronaut neutral buoyancy water tank up close—the largest of its kind in Asia and the core facility for extravehicular activity training. Watching the massive crane suspend a 1:1 scale model of the space station, floating and sinking in the water, the entrepreneurs marveled at the astronauts' arduous training, where they are "forged into steel through relentless practice."
Next, they visited the astronaut physical training hall and the in-orbit suit assembly workshop. Every piece of high-tech spacesuit equipment and every detailed training plan vividly embodied the core spirit of China's aerospace program: "exceptional endurance and exceptional combat readiness."
The group then moved to the highlight of the visit—the Manned Spaceflight Project Exhibition Hall and the Space Station Exhibition Area. Here, they saw the actual return capsule of the Shenzhou spacecraft, a 1:1 model of the "Yutu" lunar rover, and a visually striking model of the Chinese Space Station's core structure. Through detailed explanations, the students gained an in-depth understanding of the structure and functions of the "Tianhe" core module and the "Wentian" experimental module, as well as the life support systems that enable astronauts to work and live in space. On real-time monitoring screens, they even witnessed the Chinese space station's orbital trajectory. This sense of control, feeling "within tangible reach," evoked a natural sense of national pride. This part of the visit not only allowed everyone to appreciate the rigorous logic and precise coordination of aerospace engineering but also provided direct insight into China's global leadership in high-speed data processing and visual tracking and control.
This visit was not merely an expansion of technological horizons—it was also a source of profound inspiration. After the tour, the entrepreneurs reflected that although aerospace engineering and business management belong to different fields, they share a high degree of commonality in systems thinking, risk control, and team collaboration.
The aerospace spirit of "pursuing excellence and independent innovation" will inspire everyone to embark on their future business journeys with greater vision and firmer conviction—to "launch" their own "rockets" in their respective industries and contribute their wisdom and strength to the nation's high-quality development.
In the future, Alliance Institute will continue to organize such in-depth visits to national strategic scientific and technological bases, guiding entrepreneurs to experience the mission of building a strong nation through practice and to cultivate a deep sense of patriotism along the journey.