BEIJING, 4th February, 2026 (WAM) -- China's planned Xihe-2 solar probe, set to launch between 2028 and 2029 and become the world's first spacecraft stationed at the Sun-Earth L5 point, will enable detection of solar active regions 4-5 days earlier than from Earth orbit. This promises a significant leap forward in space weather prediction and early warnings, a leading scientist of the programme.
Ding Mingde, a professor at the Nanjing University who served as the chief scientist for the Xihe-1 mission and participated in the Xihe-2 mission, made the remarks in an interview with the Global Times on Tuesday.
Mingde explained that the probe will be stationed at the Sun-Earth L5 point, allowing a stable position and a side view of the Sun that enables earlier monitoring of solar activity.
He noted that combining L5 observations with near-Earth spacecraft data will support more accurate three-dimensional tracking of solar events such as flares and coronal mass ejections.
China previously launched the Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S), known as Kuafu-1, in 2022, while Xihe-1 has produced major scientific achievements since its launch in 2021.