CAPE (AP) CANAVERAL, FL On Thursday, two European spacecraft launched into space on the first attempt to produce artificial solar eclipses using sophisticated formation flying.
Once operations start next year, each simulated eclipse should last six hours. That allows for a longer study of the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, than the few minutes of totality provided by a natural eclipse here on Earth.
It was launched from India.
The two satellites, which are being billed as a tech demonstration, will split apart in about a month and fly 492 feet (150 meters) apart until they arrive at their destination, which is high above Earth. Once there, they will align with the sun such that one spacecraft will cast a shadow on the other.
According to the European Space Agency, this will need great precision—within a millimeter, or the thickness of a fingernail. The satellites will fly independently and rely on GPS, star trackers, lasers, and radio links to stay in their current position.
The spacecraft are all cube-shaped and have a diameter of less than 5 feet (1.5 meters). To prevent the other satellite’s telescope from seeing the sun, the shadow-casting spacecraft is equipped with a disk. In a natural total solar eclipse, this disk will resemble the moon, with the darkened satellite representing Earth.
In addition to proving high-precision formation flying, this has significant scientific value, according to Dietmar Pilz, director of technology and engineering at the European Space Agency.
In order to examine the thin, crown-like corona that surrounds the sun, scientists must fully hide the sun’s dazzling face. This mission will provide an exceptionally clear view of the solar rim. They hope to better comprehend coronal mass ejections, which are eruptions of billions of tons of plasma with magnetic fields out into space, and why the sun’s corona is hotter than its surface.
On Earth and in orbit, the ensuing geomagnetic storms have the potential to interfere with communication and power. Beautiful auroras can also appear in unexpected locations as a result of such outbursts.
The satellites will take about 20 hours to complete a full orbit around the earth, with an uneven trajectory ranging from 370 miles (600 kilometers) to 37,000 miles (60,000 kilometers). An eclipse will be created during six of those hours at the orbit’s furthest point. According to the space agency, the first results should be accessible in March after both vehicles have been checked out.
During its two-year operation, the $210 million mission, known as Proba-3, is anticipated to produce hundreds of eclipses. After completing their mission, both satellites will progressively descend until they burn up in the atmosphere, which should happen in five years.
A last-minute problem with one of the satellites’ backup propulsion systems, which are essential for precise formation flying, caused liftoff to be delayed by one day. According to the European Space Agency, engineers used a computer software update.
___
The Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute provides support to the Associated Press Health and Science Department. All content is entirely the AP’s responsibility.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!