European Satellites Achieve Milestone with First Artificial Solar Eclipses

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — In a groundbreaking achievement for space exploration, two European satellites have successfully created the first artificial solar eclipses by maneuvering in precise formation. This significant development was announced by the European Space Agency (ESA) during the Paris Air Show on June 16, 2025. Launched at the end of 2024, the satellites, part of the Proba-3 mission, have been generating simulated solar eclipses since March 2025, providing scientists with invaluable observational opportunities.

The Proba-3 mission, which has a budget of $210 million, involves two cube-shaped satellites that operate approximately 492 feet (150 meters) apart. One satellite acts as a sun blocker, mimicking the role of the moon during a natural total solar eclipse, while the other observes the solar corona, the outer atmosphere of the sun, using a specialized telescope. The precision required for this operation is remarkable; the satellites must maintain a position accurate to within a millimeter, comparable to the thickness of a fingernail. This intricate positioning is achieved through a combination of autonomous navigation systems, including GPS, star trackers, lasers, and radio links.

According to Andrei Zhukov, the lead scientist for the orbiting corona-observing telescope at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, the mission has already achieved ten successful solar eclipses in its ongoing checkout phase, with the longest lasting five hours. “We almost couldn’t believe our eyes,” Zhukov stated in an email. He expressed optimism that the team would eventually achieve a duration of six hours of totality per eclipse as they transition into the scientific observation phase scheduled for July 2025.

The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated. Traditional total solar eclipses are rare events, occurring approximately once every 18 months and providing only a few minutes of totality. In contrast, the Proba-3 mission is expected to yield nearly 200 simulated solar eclipses over two years, resulting in over 1,000 hours of totality for scientific observation. This wealth of data is anticipated to enhance our understanding of the solar corona, which remains an area of active research due to its complex dynamics, including coronal mass ejections that can disrupt Earth’s magnetosphere and affect communication systems.

Previous missions, such as ESA and NASA's Solar Orbiter and the Soho observatory, have attempted to create artificial solar eclipses but utilized a single spacecraft for both blocking the sun and observing the corona. The Proba-3 initiative stands out due to its innovative approach of separating these functions across two different satellites, allowing for a more detailed examination of the corona's properties, particularly near the sun's limb.

Damien Galano, ESA’s mission manager, highlighted the exceptional quality of the images captured during these eclipses, attributing this success to the unprecedented accuracy of formation flying. “We are extremely satisfied by the quality of these images, and again this is really thanks to formation flying,” Galano commented.

As the Proba-3 mission continues its observations, scientists are eager to analyze the data generated from these artificial eclipses, which promise to deepen our understanding of solar phenomena and their implications for space weather and Earth’s environment. The continued study of the sun’s corona is essential, particularly given its role in geomagnetic storms that can disrupt power grids and communication networks on Earth.

In conclusion, the Proba-3 mission represents a significant leap in our ability to study solar phenomena, paving the way for future advancements in solar research. As scientists prepare for the upcoming observational phase, the potential insights gained from this innovative mission could alter our understanding of solar physics and its broader impacts on our planet.