The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) awarded Guo Huadong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the 2026 Hall of Fame Award. The ceremony took place on October 9 during the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Turkey, recognizing his lifelong contributions to the aerospace sector.
Guo Huadong led the development of the Sustainable Development Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT-1), the world's first satellite dedicated to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Launched on November 5, 2021, the satellite utilizes thermal infrared, low-light, and multispectral imagers to monitor human activity and environmental interactions.
The satellite data is currently open to 121 UN member states, establishing a new model for global service using Chinese satellite data. The project was developed under the Earth Big Data Science Engineering program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and serves as the primary satellite for the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals.
