China's first interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observation telescope – a device used for studying space weather – passed its technical testing process on Friday, signaling the official readiness of the facility.

The telescope will efficiently conduct the observation of interplanetary space weather on a daily basis to provide high-quality data for both China and international space weather forecasting.

China's IPS telescope

Interplanetary Scintillation (IPS) is a useful ground-based method to investigate solar winds and other parameters through the scintillation of distant, compact sources at radio wavelengths. Current worldwide IPS facilities use either single-site systems, which involves a large telescope or array, or multi-site systems that integrate varied telescope and array sizes.

China's IPS telescope was designed in combination of the advantages of the two systems, with a main station in Mingantu, Xilingol League of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and two auxiliary stations in Yihe Gaole and Wurigentala. The three stations form an equilateral triangle, with each "corner" approximately 200 kilometers apart.

The main station is home to China's largest parabolic cylindrical radio telescope, featuring antennas that are 140 meters long and 40 meters wide, offering high detection sensitivity across the 327 MHz, 654 MHz, and 1400 MHz frequencies. The telescope's system design incorporates a hybrid scanning approach and utilizes digital multi-beam receiving technology to provide continuous coverage over a wide field of view.