Kuafu project explained

The Kuafu project is a Chinese space project to establish a space weather forecasting system composed of three satellites, originally to be completed by 2012.^[1] As of the Solar Wind XIII conference^[2] in June 2012, the planned launch date was 2017. However, due to withdrawal first by Canada and then ESA, the project was postponed.^[3] It was launched on 9 october 2022.^[4]

The project is named after Kuafu, a giant in Chinese mythology who chased the sun and died trying.

One of these satellites would be placed at the Sun-Earth Lagrangian Point L1, while the other two would be placed in polar orbits.^[5]

The first of the polar orbit satellites, the (ASO-S, also unofficially known as Kuafu-1 (Chinese: 夸父一号)), was launched on 8 October 2022.^[6] Because of the name "Kuafu", the project may be restarted.

Notes and References

Web site: 我国目光超越月球 "夸父计划"雄心勃勃. People's Daily. 2006-07-25. 2008-04-21. 2016-06-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20160610101717/http://scitech.people.com.cn/GB/4626302.html. dead.
Web site: Solar Wind 13. 2012-06-20. 2012-06-20. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120202212311/http://www.sw13.org/. 2012-02-02.
Web site: China pulls plug on solar observatory . Science. 2014-10-31.
Web site: China launches first solar observatory to solve mystery of Sun's eruptions . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010111523/https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/china-aso-s-kuafu-1-launch-8200613/. 2022-10-10 .
Web site: 夸父计划进入技术攻关将发射3颗测日卫星. Xinhuanet. April 16, 2008. April 21, 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080422123007/http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2008-04/16/content_7989136.htm. April 22, 2008.
Web site: China launches space-based observatory to unravel the Sun's secrets . . 9 October 2022 . 9 October 2022.