Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory

The Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory, also known as ASO-S,^[2] is a satellite mission aimed at improving observations of solar activity. The satellite was launched using the CZ-2D rocket at 07:43:55 local time on October 9, 2022^[2] (8 October 2022 at 23:43 UTC).^[3] The satellite is a part of the Kuafu project, and is also unofficially known as Kuafu-1 (夸父一号).

ASO-S

Mission type	Heliophysics
Operator	CAS
COSPAR ID	2022-129A
SATCAT no.	54029
Website	http://aso-s.pmo.ac.cn/en_index.jsp
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	CAS
Launch mass	888 kg (1,958 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date	8 October 2022
Rocket	CZ-2D
Launch site	Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Orbital parameters
Regime	Sun-synchronous orbit

ASO-S was first proposed by the Chinese solar physics community in 2010^[1] or 2011,^[2] and was formally approved by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017. The mission is aimed at studying the Solar Magnetic Field, Coronal Mass Ejections and Solar flares.^[2]

The Chief Scientist is Weiqun Gan of the Purple Mountain Observatory, while the chief designer and the chief administrator are both associated with the National Space Science Center [zh], which is part of the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.^[3]

Instruments

Source:^[2]

• Full-Disc Vector Magnetograph (FMG); to observe the vector magnetic field of the sun's photosphere
• Hard X-ray imager (HXI); to observe non-thermal physical processes in solar flares
• The Lyman-alpha Solar Telescope (LST); to observe the formation and early evolution of coronal mass ejections