Dear friends, colleagues and ISSI-BJ supporters more broadly,
This past year has, once again, flown by at ISSI-BJ. Almost without having realised the passing of time given our busy schedule, the 2026 lunar new year is almost upon us. The new lunar year, which is due to begin on 17 February 2026 (at 8:02 pm in the Chinese time zone, in case you were wondering) and last until 5 February 2027, promises to be highly powerful and transformative.
We are about to enter the Year of the Red Fire Horse. The naming system comes from China’s traditional sexagenary (60-year) calendar cycle, which combines two systems, the ‘Heavenly Stems’ (天干) and the ‘Earthly Branches’ (地支). In this context, 2026 is the year of 丙午 (Bǐng Wǔ). The first component, 丙 (Bǐng), comes from the Heavenly Stems; it is intrinsically linked to the element Fire (specifically, sun fire) and its associated colour is red. Each of the 12 Earthly Branches is paired with a zodiac animal. The Earthly Branch in 2026 will be the Horse (午).
The Year of the Red Fire Horse is a rare and dynamic time for transformation, fuelled by clarity and the courage to move forward decisively. The energy of this year doesn’t just nudge you—it invites you to ignite your potential and accelerate towards your goals. Think of it as a strong wind at your back, perfect for propelling long-delayed projects and bold new beginnings. To make the most of this powerful force, prepare well: release old burdens that hold you back, anchor yourself with daily focus and move with purposeful action. At ISSI-BJ, we believe that this is our year to advance with confidence, embrace renewal and turn decisive motion into meaningful progress.
We hope to strengthen our links to our community, with particular emphasis on Asian space scientists. However, we can only do so with your assistance. This is, therefore, an open invitation to consider us as your venue of choice for the facilitation of excellence in space science! Get in touch and consider the sky your limit.
May the (Fire Horse’s) force be with you!

Richard de Grijs
(Executive Director, ISSI-BJ)