The Space Storm Probe Plan advanced by academician Liu Zhenxing, chief scientist of "Double Satellites Plan", was recently listed as the core space project of the first phase of the global International Living With a Star (ILWS) plan. Academician Liu Zhenxing said during an interview that the relevant departments are trying to incorporate the plan into the 11th Five Year Plan of the long and medium-term development plan of China. Academician Liu Zhenxing said only by doing so can we fulfill the task of launching three satellites of the plan by 2011.
Preparation for the first phase has begun
"The plan was highly appraised in the second working meeting of the International Living With a Star plan held in Canada in early June", said academician Liu Zhenxing during the interview. "As the space probe project in the ILWS, the plan will play an important role". He said preparation work on the first phase project has begun and Center for Space Science and Applied Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences appropriated funds for the project specifically. "(We) are trying to integrate it into the 11th Five Year Plan of the long and medium term development plan of China, and to fulfill the launching plan in 2011.
International colleagues suggest the launch to be set in 2011
Academician Liu Zhenxing said during the interview that the plan consists of three probing satellites. One satellite will have an orbit about 700 kilometers from the earth to probe the ionosphere and thermosphere of the earth; another will be about 50,000 kilometers from the earth to probe the near Magnetosphere; the other one, which is 150,000 kilometers away, will carry out probing in the solar wind region outside the magnetosphere. It was learned that the implementation of the plan would for the first time realize the joint probing of four regions, namely the ionosphere, thermosphere, magnetosphere of the earth and solar wind region. Academician Liu Zhenxing said: "On the working meeting of the ILWS plan it was suggested that these three satellites be launched in 2011, the main consideration being the next peak of the solar activities.
Tackling Three Satellites On One Rocket technology not difficult
As learned these three satellites will circulate on the same orbit plane in 65 degree inclination with the equator plane of the earth. According to Liu Zhenxing's conjecture to launch three satellites simultaneously into designated orbits is practicable. Liu Zhenxing said: "This will have higher demand on the rocket technology. With efforts in technology, nothing is insurmountable". As learned compared with Double Satellites plan this plan has two characteristics. First, the space probing scope is expanded. Second, Double Satellites Plan launches two satellites within about half a year. During this period there is no coordinated observation. This launching-three-satellites-on-one-rocket plan, however, can fulfill the task with one step and realize synchronized observation.
Background
International Living With a Star (ILWS) plan is the largest international cooperation sun-earth space probe plan in the first twenty years of the 21st century. It will carry out systematic probe into the various space activities between the sun and the earth. Currently 24 national space bureaus and two international space science organizations including those of the US, Europe, Russia, Japan, Canada and China have joined it. According to Liu Zhenxing China takes part in the cooperation of the ILWS plan at the invitation of the guiding committee chairman of the ILWS plan.
(People's Daily June 17, 2004)
