KuaFu

Kuafu (Chinese夸父 计划, Pinyin Kuafu Jihua ) is a planned Chinese space mission to study the sun and its interaction with the Earth. The mission should begin to the maximum of solar activity in 2012 with the launch of the first satellite in accordance with the original plans, which start at 2017 but was verschoben.Vorlage: Future / in 3 years

Origin of the name

The name of the mission is derived from an ancient Chinese legend. Thus Kuafu tried to capture the sun to enter it.

Planned research activities

The mission is the study of the Sun-Earth interaction and to improve the prediction of solar flares. The lifetime of the satellite is estimated at three years. The Chinese government expects the participation of dozens of scientists from Germany, France, Belgium, Austria and Canada.

At the same time the mission is to raise the standard of "end -to -end" observation of the Sun-Earth system, so as to allow scientists a better understanding of the basic physical processes of space weather. It is the complete chain of disturbances ranging from the solar surface are investigated up to the earth. Should be observed coronal mass ejections the ejections (CMEs ), interplanetary clouds, shock waves with their impact on the earth and the magnetic storms and auroras.

Mission

The entire mission consists of three spacecraft: " Kuafu - A", " Kuafu B1" and " B2 Kuafu ". Kuafu -A is a space probe, which is stationed in the L1 Lagrange point, similar to the European SOHO solar probe. The instruments for the observation of solar activity can be continuously active there. Kuafu B1 and B2 are earth satellites that are placed around the earth in polar orbits to continuously observe from there the aurorae in the northern hemisphere. The auroras allow us to draw conclusions about the effect of the sun to the earth.

Operator

Operator of Kuafu project is the Peking University. The German Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research is also involved.