Satellites to Simulate Solar Eclipses for Scientific Study

The European Space Agency has launched the Proba-3 mission, consisting of two spacecraft designed to create an artificial solar eclipse to study the sun's corona. This mission aims to demonstrate precise formation flying technology and investigate why the corona is significantly hotter than the sun's surface. By blocking the sun's light with millimeter-level accuracy, researchers can observe the corona for extended periods, improving our understanding of space weather and its impact on Earth.