Solar eclipse on Aug 12 2026 prompts Iberia Starlink flight, ESA livestream and grid power adjustments

On 12 August 2026 a total solar eclipse will sweep across Europe, with the path of totality crossing Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Greenland and parts of the Arctic. Spanish airline Iberia will operate a special charter flight (IB1473) from Madrid at 18:45, climbing to about 10 000 m in an Airbus A321XLR. The aircraft will be fitted with SpaceX’s Starlink broadband to livestream the event on Iberia’s social‑media channels, and will carry scientists from the Project Shelios team led by astronomer Miquel Serra‑Ricart to study the solar corona from altitude.

The European Space Agency will also broadcast a live webcast from the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory, featuring ESA scientists and presenters. Meanwhile, French transmission system operator RTE forecasts a rapid, temporary reduction of roughly 1 800 MW of solar generation in France – part of an estimated 9 700 MW loss across the EU – as the Sun is obscured, though it expects no impact on consumers. Weather‑satellite services such as Meteosat will provide near‑real‑time images of the eclipse’s shadow moving across the continent, offering another way for the public to follow the phenomenon.