The Chinese L5 mission, named the LAgrange-V Solar Observatory (LAVSO), was officially approved by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in December 2025. It is scheduled for launch between late 2028 and early 2029. LAVSO aims to address two fundamental questions in solar physics and space weather: “How do active-region magnetic fields evolve and what roles do they play in producing solar eruptions?” and “How do solar eruptions propagate through interplanetary space, and what factors determine their space weather impacts?”
The mission will carry five scientific payloads: the Spectral Magnetic Telescope (SMT), the L5-EUV Coronal Imager (LECI), the Imaging Package of Corona and Heliosphere (IMPACH), the High-energy Solar Telescope (HEART), and the Package of In-situ Sensors (PINS). In addition, CNSA continues to encourage and support international payload contributions, with constraints of a mass under 15 kg, power consumption below 30 W, and dimensions not exceeding 200 mm × 200 mm × 120 mm. Priority will be given to instrument aligned with the mission’s primary objectives, as well as other innovative instrument. Proposals must be submitted before June 31, 2026, and selected payloads should be delivered to the spacecraft by April 31, 2028. Interested parties with relevant payload expertise are welcome to contact us. International colleagues are also invited to participate in the scientific discussions of the project. https://www.sastind.gov.cn/video/20260424pdf.pdf
For further information, please contact Chuan LI: [email protected]; Xin CHENG: [email protected]; Ye QIU: [email protected]