A spacecraft duo will fly in formation to create artificial solar eclipses

ESA’s Proba-3 mission will demonstrate precision flying and study the sun’s mysterious corona

Two satellites floating above the Earth, with the sun in the background.

The two Proba-3 spacecraft (illustrated) will be the first to fly in precision formation, which will let them make observations of the sun that are nearly impossible any other way.

P. Carril/ESA

A pair of spacecraft just launched to create hundreds of artificial solar eclipses in orbit.