European Space Agency plans launch of Proba-3 to study sun's corona with solar eclipses on demand

The European Space Agency is set to launch two spacecraft, Proba-3, from India to create "solar eclipses on demand." This mission aims to study the sun's corona, its outermost layer, by blocking sunlight to allow prolonged observations. The spacecraft will fly in formation about 150 kilometers apart, mimicking a solar eclipse. This will enable one satellite to observe the corona while the other blocks the sun's light, providing data and images over a two-year mission. The launch was delayed due to a technical issue but will be covered by the Indian Space Research Organization. Proba-3 will operate at an altitude of about 60,000 kilometers above Earth, offering insights into solar phenomena like coronal mass ejections.