Xihe has made more than 290 solar probes and imaged the Sun, obtaining the first solar H-α line in orbit

Simulation of the Xihe satellite. "Xihe" is the full name of the solar Hα spectrum detection and double super platform science and technology test satellite, operating in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 517 kilometers. Courtesy of Shanghai Academy of Aerospace Technology of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

The "Xihe" satellite is the mainland's first scientific and technological experiment satellite for solar exploration, which was successfully launched at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on October 14 last year, marking the mainland's official entry into the era of space exploration.

On January 28, Zhao Jian, director of the Earth Observation and Data Center of the China National Space Administration, said at a press conference held by the Information Office of the State Council that after more than three months of on-orbit testing and experiments, the satellite has completed more than 40 technical verifications of the satellite platform and more than 290 times of exploration and imaging of the sun. "This satellite will continue to perform relevant scientific experimental missions in orbit and spend the Spring Festival with us."

At present, the "Xihe" satellite has achieved a series of technical and scientific experimental results. This year, the China National Space Administration will choose the opportunity to officially release. In view of some of the current major progress, Zhao Jian said that the first is to verify the ultra-high pointing accuracy and ultra-high stability technology of the new high-precision satellite platform in orbit, and the pointing accuracy and stability accuracy of this satellite have been improved by two orders of magnitude compared with the traditional inertia satellite platform.

Second, in terms of solar science detection, this is the first time in the world that the spectral image of the H-α line of the sun and the H-α band of the full-day surface has been obtained in orbit. The H-α line of the Sun is the spectral line produced by the electron energy level transition after the interaction of photons with hydrogen atoms, which is the most intense response line during the solar burst, which can directly reflect the characteristics of the outbreak.

Previously, H-α lines could only be detected on Earth for human observations of the Sun, but due to atmospheric disturbances, this data was discontinuous and unstable. Now through satellites in orbit to detect, you can remove these unstable factors, high-resolution observation and imaging of the sun, you can more accurately obtain the changes in atmospheric temperature, speed and other physical quantities of the solar burst, and then establish a complete physical model of the energy accumulation, release and transmission of the solar burst from the photosphere to the corona, provide key data for the study of the dynamic process and physical mechanism of the solar burst, and is expected to obtain scientific output with international influence.

Zhao Jian said that the "Xihe" landing on the sky to explore the day is following the successful realization of the lunar sampling return of the "Chang'e 5" and the successful realization of the "orbiting, falling, and patrolling" exploration of Mars by the "Tianwen-1", and the exploration of the earth, planets and stars in the solar system has achieved full coverage within one year, playing a "trio" of deep space exploration, and contributing wisdom and strength to the construction of a space power.

"Regarding the future sun exploration plan of the mainland, scientists are currently carrying out relevant demonstration studies, which will enable us to further understand the structure of the sun, determine the characteristics of solar activity, grasp its mechanism and activity law, better predict space weather, and benefit mankind."