A physicist has been arrested by the FBI on charges of illegally aiding China’s space programme.

According to the Department of Justice Shu Quan-Sheng, born in China but a naturalized American, violated arms control acts in helping the Chinese with their Hainan island space launch facility. A DOJ statement says:

According to the complaint, Shu has been involved in the PRC’s systematic effort to upgrade their space exploration and satellite technology capabilities by providing technical expertise and foreign technology acquisition in the fields of cryogenic pumps, valves, transfer lines and refrigeration equipment, components critical for the use of liquefied hydrogen in a launch facility. Shu has also been instrumental in arranging for PRC officials to visit various European space launch facilities and hydrogen production/storage facilities.

Other allegations include attempted bribery and supplying data on hydrogen tanks and fuelling systems. Shu is the president, secretary and treasurer of the company AMAC International, headquartered in Newport News.

According to his company website, Shu “is an expert in Cryogenics, SRF cavities and Superconducting magnets. He is currently a Board Member for the International Institute of Refrigeration, Sub-Program Chairman of the US Applied Superconductivity Conference, and the Chief Editor of Advances in Cryogenic Engineering vol. 45. He has also published three books and more than 100 papers on cryogenics and superconductivity.”

The website also says AMAC has won over $2 million in research grants from the NASA and the Department of Energy.

According to the Daily Press Shu has also worked at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility:

Shu was involved in three collaborative research projects at Jefferson Lab between 1999 and 2002, according to lab spokeswoman Debbie Magaldi. She said that Shu would have had access to laboratory technology because scientists typically move in and out during research.

The Virginian-Pilot says Shu “appeared to be shaking and bewildered at his court appearance”.