Beijing: 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.

According to Emirates News Agency, Ding Mingde, a professor at Nanjing University who served as the chief scientist for the Xihe-1 mission and participated in the Xihe-2 mission, shared insights in an interview with the Global Times. 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.