European Space Agency to launch Proba-3 mission for artificial solar eclipses in space

The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch its Proba-3 mission on December 4, 2024, from India. This mission aims to create artificial solar eclipses in space using two satellites that will fly 144 meters apart, allowing for detailed observations of the Sun's corona. Proba-3 will enable scientists to study the Sun's outer atmosphere, which is usually hidden by its brightness. The satellites will create up to 50 artificial eclipses each year, lasting six hours, to improve understanding of solar phenomena like Coronal Mass Ejections. In addition to solar research, Proba-3 will test advanced satellite formation flying techniques. These experiments could influence future space missions by demonstrating the feasibility of operating multiple satellites as a single unit.