Two European satellites, Proba-3, have successfully created the first artificial solar eclipses by flying in precise formation above the Earth’s surface. Launched last year, the satellites have been generating simulated solar eclipses since March, providing scientists with hours of on-demand totality.
The satellites, each about 5 feet long, fly 492 feet apart and block the sun like a moon during a natural total solar eclipse, while the other satellite aims its telescope at the corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere. The flying accuracy needs to be within a millimeter, requiring autonomous precision through GPS navigation, star trackers, lasers, and radio links.
So far, the satellites have generated 10 successful eclipses, with the longest lasting five hours. Scientists are thrilled by the preliminary results, which show the corona without special image processing. The team aims for six hours of totality per eclipse once scientific observations begin in July.
The mission’s lead scientist, Andrei Zhukov, described the initial success as “incredible.” He anticipates an average of two solar eclipses per week, totaling nearly 200 during the two-year mission, providing over 1,000 hours of totality. This will be a significant scientific breakthrough, offering scientists unparalleled insights into the sun’s corona and its effects on space.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/artificial-solar-eclipse-esa-474fe13392398e247f3ba501bf4fe191