A farewell ceremony for China's father of space technology, Qian Xuesen, has been held in Beijing. Qian passed away on October 31. He was 98 years old.

Qian helped pioneer China's space science. He went to the US in 1935 to study and returned home in 1955. He was a member of both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Qian was a renowned expert of aerospace rockets and aerodynamics. He spearheaded the research and development leading up to China's first test of the atom bomb in 1964. Other firsts for the country include a man-made satellite in 1970, a transcontinental ballistic missile in 1980 and a manned spacecraft in 2003.

For these accomplishments, Qian Xuesen was named a national living treasure. He retired in 1991 but he continued his studies and work.

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