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China's first two expedition ships set sail on March 30, 1976. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

China's first two expedition ships set sail on March 30, 1976

China's first two expedition ships, Xiangyanghong 05 and Xiangyanghong 11, constructed by

China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, set sail on March 30, 1976.

The expedition lasted for over 50 days, crossing the equator and sailing in the eastern and western hemispheres. It involved a crew of 280 people and a voyage of 13,800 nautical miles, setting new records in both range and crew size.

The expedition team conducted comprehensive scientific research in the South Pacific and acquired important statistics in hydrology, weather, chemistry, gravity and geology, offering hydrometeorological support for China's first long-range carrier rocket test.

China launched the first satellites in the new generation of its Beidou Navigation Satellite System on March 30, 2015

China launched the first satellites in the new generation of its Beidou Navigation Satellite System on March 30, 2015.

China launched the first satellite in the new generation of its Beidou Navigation Satellite System on March 30, 2015, marking the expansion of Beidou's service from regional to global.

The satellite, being the 17th of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, is a tilting geosynchronous orbit satellite.

Experimental verification for a new navigation signal system and inter-satellite link was expected to be carried out after the satellite reached orbit.

It was the first time China launched a medium-high orbit satellite applying direct-to-orbit technology at the upper stage. China demonstrated that it had mastered the technology to launch one or several spacecraft directly to different orbits.

(Executive editor: Li Shuling)