China Successfully Launches First Solar Exploration Satellite 'Yi He'

Collecting Solar Spectrum, Longitudinal Magnetic Field, and Solar Wind Data at 571 km Altitude
Eoheo Satellite Applies UHF to 5G, Communicates with Ground

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China’s first solar exploration satellite has been successfully launched.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on the 15th that the solar exploration satellite 'Yi He' has successfully entered its designated orbit. According to Chinese media including Xinhua News Agency, the Yi He satellite, launched the previous day from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province aboard the Long March-20D rocket, is equipped with the world’s first H-alpha frequency band imaging spectrometer.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Yi He satellite will carry out missions to collect data on the solar spectrum, magnetic fields, and solar wind at an altitude of 571 km. It will also investigate the dynamic and physical mechanisms of the sun, such as temperature and velocity, during solar eruptions.

This is China’s first satellite launch dedicated to solar exploration, marking China’s entry into the era of solar exploration, according to Chinese media including Xinhua News Agency. They also reported that solar observation and research in space not only hold significant scientific value but also have vast potential for future applications.

Since 2018, China has been advancing a space solar power station project, and the Yi He solar exploration satellite appears to be part of this initiative. The space solar power station project aims to collect solar energy in space and transmit it to Earth. While solar energy collection on Earth is limited by weather and other factors, there are no such constraints in space.

In fact, a 1㎡ solar panel on Earth achieves an efficiency of 0.4 kW, whereas in the stratosphere it is known to reach 7 to 8 kW. The space solar power station is still at the conceptual stage.

The Global Times reported that the Yi He satellite communicates with the ground using technology applying 5G and extremely high frequency (EHF) bands. The media added that the application of 5G and EHF frequencies is one of the satellite’s other key missions. Although EHF can transmit data at rates exceeding gigabytes per second, it has the drawback of communication disruption if obstacles are present.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.