Agora – Scientific reflections

International cooperation: A brief history We’ve experienced

¹ National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun Nanertiao 1, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, PR China
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jingmibeierjie, Huairou, Beijing 101499, PR China

^* Corresponding author. wuji@nssc.ac.cn

Received: 30 November 2020
Accepted: 16 February 2021

Abstract

The solar-terrestrial space is of considerable significance for human activities. Since the first artificial satellite Sputnik 1 was launched in 1957, more knowledge about the dynamic conditions of the space environment has been acquired. With growing dependence on modern technology – both in space and on the ground, the vulnerability of the modern society and its infrastructure to space weather has increased dramatically. To better understand, forecast and reduce the adverse effects of space weather, science programs on space weather always prioritize the measurement or acquisition of the data from different locations of the geo-space, such as in magnetopause, polar cusps, and the magnetic tail. For the ground observations, it is necessary to locate the instruments in different longitudes and latitudes. For a single country, it is impossible to cover all these observation points. Therefore, international cooperation is very much needed. The paper reviews some of the international space weather observation programs we have experienced at the system design level. It may provide lessons learned for the community that may enable such kind of cooperative programs in the future.