2023 in review: China's discoveries from deep space

China has been exploring the deep space over the years. The country has successfully landed probes on the moon and Mars and has sent satellites orbiting the sun. As we are about to step in 2024, lets have a review of some of China's discoveries from deep space in 2023.

Chasing the sun

On October 14, 2021, China launched its first solar exploration satellite, Xihe, which was placed into a sun-synchronous orbit for conducting solar H-alpha spectral imaging. The satellite is equipped with China's first solar telescope in space to observe the deep-red H-Alpha line of the solar spectrum, allowing scientists to study solar flares.

Over the past two years, Xihe has generated more than 400 terabytes of high-quality scientific data, along with a series of original research findings. In October, the Solar Science Data Center of Nanjing University released a batch of new observation data, showcasing the spectacular sights captured by Xihe, providing more evidence for scientists to reveal the mechanism of solar eruptions.

Moreover, China's first comprehensive solar probe Kuafu-1 has been put into scientific observation this year, the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on October 9.

Launched on October 9, 2022, the Kuafu-1 is tasked to simultaneously monitor solar flares, coronal mass ejections and the sun's magnetic field. The probe completed a total of 5,294 orbits around Earth as of October 9. More than 500 observation plans of various types were submitted. About 120 terabytes of original data were observed, and over 100 terabytes of advanced data products were produced.

The probe is set to cover the 2024 to 2025 peak of the solar cycle, which normally lasts 11 years.

International lunar cooperation

During the year, China announced plans of its lunar exploration program featuring international cooperation.

The country has invited global collaboration in its Chang'e-8 lunar exploration mission scheduled for launch around 2028. China "welcomes countries and international organizations to join and carry out cooperation on tasks, systems and facilities to jointly achieve more significant original scientific discoveries," said the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

A couple of days after China's invitation, Azerbaijan made the announcement to join China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program. Jointly initiated by China and Russia in 2021, the program aims to build a lunar base and carry out lunar research and exploration.

According to the joint statement, China and Azerbaijan will carry out extensive cooperation in the demonstration, implementation, operation and application of the program, including mounting scientific instruments, providing training to personnel and conducting scientific and technological experiments.

Before Azerbaijan, several countries, organizations and institutions joined the ILRS program, including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, South Africa and Swiss company Nano-SPACE.

New findings on Mars

On April 24, China released its first color-coded global map of Mars. The global map, which has a 76-meter spatial resolution, provides better quality for conducting future Martian exploration projects and scientific research.

The colored map images along with scientific data obtained by China's Tianwen-1 Mars mission are conducive for deepening the understanding of the red planet.

China launched its Tianwen-1 Mars probe in July 2020, and the probe entered the Mars orbit in February 2021. The Mars rover Zhurong landed and started operations in May 2021. During more than two years of stay on Mars, the rover has obtained valuable data that is helping scientists.

A study published in the journal Science Advances in April discovered key observational evidence of liquid water at low Martian latitudes, the warmest regions on the red planet, by using data obtained by Zhurong.

In July, an international research team led by Chinese scientists revealed climate change on Mars by observing the stratigraphic sequences where the Zhurong rover landed. The research confirmed that wind processes have recorded changes of the Martian environment with its rotation axis and the glacial period, and it will help understand the ancient climate history of Mars and provide a reference for the climate evolution on Earth.

Last month, radars mounted on Zhurong detected 16 irregular wedges buried underneath a vast plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars, pointing to more evidence for understanding the complex geological evolution and climate change of the red planet.

There are deep-space achievements from this year that have not been listed here, while a lot is also expected next year. So, stay with us for more about China's space endeavors!