Zhao Jiuzhang (1907.10.15 - 1968.10.26), was born in Kaifeng, Henan Province, China. He was a famous meteorologist, geophysicist and space physicist, and a leader in development of instruments for use on Chinese sounding rockets and artificial satellites.
He graduated from the Department of Physics, Tsinghua University in 1933, and received Ph.D. from Berlin University, Germany in 1938. In the later years, he served as director of CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences) Institute of Geophysics, and CAS Institute of Applied Geophysics (predecessor of the CAS Center for Space Science and Applied Research).
Zhao had long been engaged in scientific research and management. He made significant contributions to the development of atmospheric science, geophysics and space science and was a pioneer for advocating physics and new technologies in earth sciences. His research results were foundational in many fields such as air-mass analysis, thermo-dynamics of trade wind zone, baroclinic instability of atmospheric long-wave, quasi-stationary active center, and physical mechanism about charged particles and magnetic field of outer-space. He established many research institutes and disciplines such as balloon sounding, observation of ozone, observation of sea wave, physical observation of cloud and mist, sounding rocket, and artificial satellite and so on. He also fostered a lot of outstanding scientists, which has a profound effect.
Zhao had made pioneering and remarkable contributions to China's development of the atomic bomb, missile and satellite. He became Member of the CAS in 1955.
With the approval of the International Minor Planet Nomenclature Committee, the Asteroid No. 7811, which was discovered on 23 February, 1982 by the CAS Purple Mountain Observatory, is named after Zhao – the Zhao Jiuzhang Star.
To mark the late Prof. Zhao Jiuzhang (Jeoujang Jaw), pioneer of China's modern meteorology, space science and satellite development, CAS and the International Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) jointly set up a Jeoujang Jaw Award in 2006. The prize is designed to recognize scientists who have made distinguished pioneering contributions to promoting space research, establishing new space science research branches and founding new exploration programs.
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