ESA advances solar research with Proba-3 and SMILE missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) is advancing solar research through specialized satellite missions. The Proba-3 mission, which includes Spanish participation, utilizes two satellites to create artificial solar eclipses in orbit. By aligning one spacecraft to block the Sun's disk from a second spacecraft's coronagraph, researchers can observe the solar corona for up to six hours every 19.6 hours. These artificial eclipses are distinct from the natural total solar eclipse expected to be visible in parts of Spain on August 12, 2026.

Additionally, the SMILE mission represents a significant milestone in international space cooperation, being the first mission designed, launched, and operated jointly by the ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. SMILE aims to study the interaction between solar winds and Earth's magnetosphere. Unlike previous missions like Cluster, which used in situ instruments to measure conditions around the probes, SMILE employs a different approach to provide a more comprehensive view of how solar material interacts with the planet's protective magnetic shield.