Hey explorers! 🌟 China and Europe are teaming up again, and this time they're shooting for the stars—well, more like observing Earth from the stars! 🌍✨
This Monday, the vibrant city of Lisbon became the hotspot for space enthusiasts as the Dragon Program conference kicked off. This major science collaboration between China and Europe is all about leveling up from Dragon 5 to the brand-new Dragon 6. And guess what's on the agenda? Tackling climate change and diving deep into big data! 🌐🔎
Organized by China's Ministry of Science and Technology and the European Space Agency (ESA), the five-day symposium has pulled in nearly 300 brainiacs from both regions. These experts and scholars are chatting about the awesome achievements of Dragon 5 and giving us the deets on Dragon 6 projects. We're talking the latest in Earth observation tech and how satellites are helping us protect the environment and reduce disasters. Pretty cool, right? 🛰️🌱
At the opening ceremony, a shiny new cooperation agreement for Dragon Program Phase 6 (2024-2028) was signed. High fives all around! 🙌 This pact covers ten key themes like land, atmosphere, climate change, and—wait for it—big data. Under this agreement, China and Europe are set to keep sharing Earth observation data, collaborate on research, swap ideas through academic exchanges, and train up fresh talent. Talk about teamwork! 🤝
Starting this year, the China Science and Technology Exchange Center is stepping up to manage the Dragon Program on China's side, working closely with ESA's Earth Observation Department. It's like forming a super squad for space science! 🦸♀️🦸♂️
China's ambassador to Portugal, Zhao Bentang, gave a shoutout to the Dragon Program, calling it a model of China-Europe scientific and technological cooperation. He highlighted how both parties are powering global scientific innovation and nurturing new talent. Way to go! 🌟
In a video speech, Dai Gang, the director-general of the Department of International Cooperation at China's Ministry of Science and Technology, emphasized that this collaboration has supported research, training, exchanges, and data sharing. These efforts have built a solid joint research team for Earth observation, leading to top-notch research results and giving us the tools to tackle global challenges like climate change. 🌡️🌍
Gao Xiang, director general of the China Science and Technology Exchange Center, noted that over the past 20 years, the Dragon Program has been leveling up its cooperation mechanisms, expanding funding, and boosting technical expertise. The program has broadened its research fields, data sources, and the number of scientists involved, contributing to economic and social development on both sides. 🚀
Josef Aschbacher, director-general of the ESA, chimed in saying the Dragon Program is one of the longest-standing and most fruitful cooperative projects between China and Europe. It's not just about scientists exchanging ideas; it's about turning those ideas into real-world tech applications. That's some next-level stuff! 💡🔧
So, what's the takeaway? The Dragon Program is soaring to new heights, bringing together brilliant minds to protect our planet and advance technology. And who knows, maybe one day, you could be part of such an epic collaboration! Dream big, space cadets! 🚀🌌
Reference(s):
China, Europe boost Earth observation efforts with new agreement
cgtn.com
