Liang Sili (; 24 August 1924 – 14 April 2016) was a Chinese aerospace engineer. He was elected an academician of the
International Academy of Astronautics in 1987 and the
Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; ) is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China. It is the world's largest research organization, with 106 research i ...
in 1993. He became the vice-president of the
International Astronautical Federation in 1994.
Liang was the youngest son of Chinese scholar and reformist
Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao (Chinese: 梁啓超; Wade–Giles: ''Liang2 Chʻi3-chʻao1''; Yale romanization of Cantonese, Yale: ''Lèuhng Kái-chīu''; ) (February 23, 1873 – January 19, 1929) was a Chinese politician, social and political activist, jour ...
. His elder brothers,
Liang Sicheng and
Liang Siyong, were also academicians.
Education
Liang started his
undergraduate studies at
Carleton College
Carleton College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1866, the main campus is between Northfield and the approximately Carleton ...
in the United States in 1941. He transferred to
Purdue University
Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...
in 1943 and graduated from there with a bachelor's degree with a major in
electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
in 1945. He received a doctor of philosophy in
missile control from the
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...
in 1949.
Career
Liang returned to China in late 1949 when the
Chinese Communist Party
The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
took control of mainland China. He was appointed jobs at the Institute of Telecommunications Technology (Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications) and later the Institute of Electronic Science (Communication Department of PLA). In 1956, Liang transferred to the Fifth Institute of Ministry of Defense. He became the deputy director of the Research Office of Missile Control Systems, working under
Qian Xuesen.
Liang played an important role in the design of the
Dongfeng 2A missile, the
Dongfeng 5 missile, the
Long March 2 rocket, and the
Long March 3 rocket.
Liang died on 14 April 2016, at the age of 91, in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liang, Sili
1924 births
2016 deaths
Chinese aerospace engineers
Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Scientists from Beijing
Yaohua High School alumni
Tianjin Nankai High School alumni
University of Cincinnati alumni
Purdue University College of Engineering alumni