China is set to embark on an ambitious space science mission during its 15th Five-Year Plan period, aiming to explore the universe's deepest mysteries. The National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced a series of groundbreaking satellite projects, including the "Hongmeng Plan," "Kuafu-2," an exoplanet survey mission, and the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP) space observatory. These initiatives target fundamental questions about cosmic origins, space weather, and the existence of extraterrestrial life.
The "Hongmeng Plan" involves a constellation of 10 low-frequency radio telescopes positioned on the far side of the Moon. This location offers a unique radio-quiet environment, ideal for detecting faint signals from the early universe, potentially revealing secrets from the cosmic "dark ages" before the first stars formed.
"Kuafu-2" will be the first satellite to orbit the Sun's polar regions, studying solar magnetic activity to improve space weather forecasting and deepen our understanding of the Sun-Earth relationship.
The exoplanet survey satellite will scan the cosmos for Earth-like planets within habitable zones, potentially identifying a "second Earth" that could support human life.
The eXTP observatory will investigate extreme cosmic phenomena, such as black holes and neutron stars, testing fundamental physics theories in conditions impossible to replicate on Earth.
These missions build on China's successful space science program, which has launched eight satellites since 2011, including the "Wukong" dark matter probe and "Kuafu-1" solar observatory. The program has achieved multiple world-first discoveries and fostered international collaborations, such as the joint "Smile" mission with the European Space Agency.
Recent breakthroughs include: - The "Tianguan" satellite's discovery of a new type of X-ray transient source - The "Huiyan" satellite's findings on black hole accretion bursts and neutron star surface physics - The "Huairou-1" satellite's identification of a new subclass of gamma-ray bursts from compact star mergers - "Wukong's" precise measurements of cosmic ray boron spectra - "Kuafu-1's" unexpected findings about solar flare-coronal mass ejection relationships
These developments mark China's transition from following to leading in space science, contributing significantly to global scientific knowledge while advancing domestic technological capabilities.