European Space Agency decides to develop the space weather mission Vigil as its first dedicated operational satellite in the Space Safety Program, which is a milestone in the field of global space weather research, forecast and services. This paper describes the unique advantages of Vigil mission in monitoring and forecasting space weather at the L5 point of the Sun-Earth system, and briefly addresses its objective and payload. Its long formulation process and future implementation plan are reviewed, as well as the active participation of the United States in the mission. It is pointed out that China must pay more attentions to the negative impacts of space weather on economic and social development and space security, and actively promote the development of an independent national space weather space-based monitoring system.

space weather  /  solar eruption  /  monitoring and warning  /  space safety