The tricky quest to create an artificial solar eclipse
wapoOCT 2023
Satellites Launched to Create Artificial Solar Eclipses
Above: The PSLV-C59 carries two satellites of the European Space Agency Proba-3 spacecraft from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, on Dec. 5, 2024. Image copyright: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The groundbreaking mission represents a technological triumph that will revolutionize solar research by providing unprecedented access to study the sun's corona while demonstrating advanced formation flying capabilities that could enable future large-scale space observatories.
Narrative B
The expensive mission carries significant risks due to the extreme precision required for formation flying, and the artificial eclipses won't be visible from Earth, limiting public engagement and direct verification of mission success.