In 2021, the scientific community celebrated the 85th anniversary of the Chinese scientist Academician Wen-Rui Hu. In addition to his innovative contributions to cosmic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) during his early scientific career, he has initiated microgravity science research in China from the middle of 1980s, and made many pioneering contributions to microgravity fluid physics. He has also promoted researches in China in the fields of space material science, space biotechnology, space fundamental physics, and relevant applications. He is respected as the founder of microgravity science in China because of his eminent pioneering contributions and prominent leadership. This article tries to provide a brief historical perspective of the tireless explorations of Academician Wen-Rui Hu in the field of microgravity science and other relevant disciplines till today based on personal views of his former students and colleagues.
Keywords: Academician Wen-Rui Hu; China Manned Space Program; China Space Station; Chinese recoverable satellite; Drop Tower Beijing; Gravity independence criteria of two-phase flow; Microgravity research in China; National Microgravity Laboratory; Taiji program in space gravitational wave physics; Thermocapillary convection; Volume ratio.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2022.